Ferrari Fizzles, McLaren Sizzles, and Miami Brings the Chaos — Your Miami Grand Prix 2025 breakdown!
The Miami Grand Prix 2025 promised a thrilling double race weekend, featuring both the exciting Sprint race and the full Grand Prix. However, as race day drew closer, the sunny skies were overtaken by rain clouds, leading to unpredictable conditions that set the stage for a chaotic weekend.
This weather drama didn’t just disrupt the races; it led to a long and exhausting weekend for the drivers, resulting in heated squabbles and unexpected record-breaking moments on the track. Despite the intensity of the weekend, the drivers still managed to find a bit of fun—even playing with Lego between sessions!
“Miami Grand Prix 2025 Sprint Race: Kimi Antonelli’s Record-Breaking Pole, Rain Chaos, and McLaren’s 1-2 Finish”
Sprint Qualifying
What initially seemed like a straightforward qualifying session for the Miami Grand Prix Sprint race quickly turned into a drama-filled spectacle. Kimi Antonelli, at just 18 years old, made history by becoming the youngest driver ever to start on pole. His record-breaking lap time of 1:26.482 around the Miami track had fans excited, setting up what promised to be an unforgettable race.
However, the weather had other plans. As race day approached, rain poured down, transforming the track into what Oscar Piastri described as a “river.” Before the race even began, Charles Leclerc experienced a disastrous aquaplane incident, crashing into the wall on his way to the grid. This collision disqualified Leclerc and added pressure to the Ferrari team.
Sprint Race
After a delayed start, the race finally got underway with the front row battling for position. Piastri took advantage of Antonelli’s lock-up at the first corner, moving into the lead. Although Antonelli fought hard to recover, the reigning world champion Max Verstappen proved once again why he holds his title.
The race continued in a tense battle of strategy and weather. Verstappen swapped his inters for medium tires as the track began to dry. But as he exited the pits, disaster struck—Verstappen collided with Antonelli, damaging both cars and ruining Antonelli’s pit stop. The incident forced Verstappen to serve a 10-second penalty, and he finished the race in P17, well out of the points.
While the pit lane chaos unfolded, Carlos Sainz suffered a puncture at the chicane, forcing him to retire and bring out a yellow flag. McLaren’s decision to stay out during this time paid off, as they managed to call Piastri in for a pit stop just as the yellow flag came out, followed by Norris the next lap. The strategy worked perfectly. Lewis Hamilton, seizing the opportunity with fresh tires, passed Verstappen—who was struggling with a damaged front wing—to move into P3.
Meanwhile, disaster struck for Fernando Alonso when he was hit from behind by Liam Lawson, causing another safety car period. As Norris re-entered the track, it was a race out of the pit lane for him. His quick thinking and perfect timing saw him emerge ahead of his teammate Piastri, placing him in the lead behind the safety car.
In the end, Norris delivered a sensational drive, holding his ground through the chaos and securing the victory, while McLaren celebrated a 1-2 finish in the Sprint race. It was a race of strategy, rain, and unpredictable moments, making the 2025 Miami GP Sprint one for the history books.
Miami Grand Prix 2025: Qualifying Drama, McLaren Domination, and Ferrari Struggles
Qualifying
After the rain cleared, Qualifying for the 2025 Miami Grand Prix got underway. All 20 drivers were back on track, eager to grab the best grid spots. Surprises came fast. Lewis Hamilton, in his first Ferrari season, was knocked out in Q2 — his first early exit of the year — and would start P12.
Further down the field, Esteban Ocon and Isack Hadjar impressed by reaching Q3 for the first time this season. Williams also shone. Alex Albon grabbed P7, while Carlos Sainz secured an even stronger P6. Up front, Max Verstappen pulled off a last-minute flying lap. He snatched a front-row start, ahead of Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli.
The Race
When the lights went out, Verstappen launched well. But McLaren weren’t giving up easily. Norris and Piastri forced a fierce, wheel-to-wheel fight through the first corners. Verstappen’s aggressive defending pushed Norris wide, dropping the McLaren driver down to P6.
Further down the grid, chaos struck early. An incident between Liam Lawson and Jack Doohan left the Alpine driver with a puncture. Doohan was forced to retire on Lap 1.
Antonelli managed to hold onto P2 for four laps. However, reigning World Champion Oscar Piastri soon made his move, setting up a thrilling battle for the race lead.
By Lap 14, Piastri’s pressure paid off. Verstappen locked up, handing P1 to Piastri. Meanwhile, Norris continued his recovery drive. With a string of brilliant overtakes on Albon, George Russell, and Antonelli, Norris stormed back into contention.
The action intensified on Lap 17. Norris, fighting Verstappen for P2, pulled off an overtake but exceeded track limits. He gave the position back immediately. Just one lap later, Norris passed Verstappen cleanly, setting up a McLaren 1-2 as they began pulling away from the field.
The chaos didn’t stop there. Ollie Bearman suffered an engine failure, triggering a Virtual Safety Car.
Russell seized the moment, pitting for fresh tyres and rejoining ahead of Verstappen to secure P3.
Williams’ dream weekend continued as Albon overtook Antonelli to climb up to P5. But the race soon turned brutal. After Bearman’s retirement, Gabriel Bortoleto also suffered a power unit failure. He became the third driver to retire from the Miami GP.
In the midfield, another fierce fight erupted. Sainz in the Williams battled the two Ferrari drivers for P7.
By Lap 34, both Ferraris managed to overtake Sainz. Internal tension followed at Ferrari. Hamilton, on medium tyres, was allowed to pass Leclerc, who was running hards, to chase Antonelli. The move backfired. Leclerc reclaimed his position and ultimately finished P7.
The drama continued right until the final corner. Sainz and Hamilton engaged in a hard-fought scrap for P8, with Hamilton narrowly defending his position to secure valuable points for Ferrari. Russell once again demonstrates why he is thriving in the 2025 season, once again finishing in P3 and delivering another 15 points for the team!
Looking to the Next Race
The 2025 Miami Grand Prix weekend had it all — rain chaos, record-breaking moments, fierce battles, and a McLaren masterclass in both the Sprint and the Grand Prix. From a drenched Saturday that shook up the grid to Sunday’s strategy-driven showdown, Miami delivered drama from start to finish. With momentum building for McLaren and Ferrari eager to bounce back, the championship race is heating up fast. Next, the paddock heads to Imola for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, where the historic and technical track promises even more twists in this thrilling F1 season.
Chloe Thompson
