Antonelli Wins Miami GP for Third Consecutive Victory, Extends Championship Lead to 20 Points
Kimi Antonelli claimed his third consecutive Formula 1 victory at the 2026 Miami Grand Prix, defeating Lando Norris by 3.264 seconds at the Hard Rock Stadium circuit on May 3. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver is the first in the sport's history to win his first three grands prix from pole position, joining Damon Hill and Mika Hakkinen as the only drivers to win their first three races consecutively. Antonelli extended his championship lead to 20 points over Mercedes team-mate George Russell, with Oscar Piastri completing the podium in third. The win moved Antonelli to 100 championship points after four rounds of 22.
Sources: Motorsport.com, The Race
Miami GP Stewards Penalise Verstappen and Leclerc, Ferrari Driver Drops to Eighth
Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc both received post-race time penalties after the 2026 Miami Grand Prix. Verstappen took a five-second sanction for crossing the white line at the pit-lane exit during an early safety car stop but retained fifth place. Leclerc was handed a 20-second time penalty for repeatedly leaving the track after spinning into the wall at Turn 3 on the final lap, dropping him from sixth to eighth behind Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto. Verstappen and Russell were also investigated over a Turn 1 collision late in the race, but the stewards took no further action on that incident.
Sources: Motorsport.com, GPFans
McLaren MCL40 Upgrade Slashes Gap to Mercedes, Ferrari Lead Trimmed to 16 Points
McLaren's first major upgrade package of the 2026 season, fitted to the MCL40 at Miami, produced a significantly improved showing that narrowed the gap to championship-leading Mercedes. Lando Norris finished second and Oscar Piastri third, delivering 33 points and pushing McLaren to 94 in the constructors' standings. Ferrari's advantage over McLaren in third place was trimmed to just 16 points following Charles Leclerc's post-race penalty. Team principal Andrea Stella said the upgrade had “dramatically changed the outlook” of McLaren's campaign after three rounds in which Mercedes had proved largely untouchable.
Sources: Motorsport.com, The Race
Colapinto Takes Career-Best Seventh at Miami GP, Describes Weekend as Most Perfect
Franco Colapinto delivered his best Formula 1 result to date at the Miami Grand Prix, finishing seventh for Alpine after Leclerc's 20-second post-race penalty promoted the Argentine driver one additional place. Colapinto scored six championship points and described the weekend as his “most perfect” since joining the grid. The 21-year-old had impressed in qualifying and demonstrated strong race management across all three Florida sessions. The result brought Alpine closer to Haas in the constructors' standings and represented a timely confidence boost following a difficult opening stretch of the 2026 season.
FIA Warns Multi-Team Ownership Is Not Right as Mercedes Pursues Alpine Stake
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem warned that one company owning two Formula 1 teams is “not the right way”, confirming the governing body is examining multi-team ownership rules amid Mercedes' reported interest in Alpine. Renault's Otro Capital investment group holds a 24 per cent stake in Alpine and is seeking buyers, with Mercedes-Benz AG, former Red Bull chief Christian Horner, and New York Mets owner Steve Cohen among those linked. Ben Sulayem acknowledged the situation is “complicated” given Red Bull's existing relationship with Racing Bulls, but said the FIA would act to prevent any ownership structure granting unfair influence over technical regulation votes.
FIA's 2026 Rule Modifications Debut at Miami with Revised Aero and Energy Harvesting Limits
The FIA debuted in-season regulation changes at the Miami Grand Prix, targeting concerns about the 2026 active aerodynamic framework. The qualifying energy harvesting cap was cut from eight to seven megajoules, slowing lap times but pushing cars closer to the performance limit. MGU-K deployment outside key acceleration zones was reduced from 350 kilowatts to 250 kilowatts. A “partial aero mode” for wet-weather running was also introduced, with the front wing in low-drag trim while the rear wing remains in cornering configuration. The package was approved by all teams, the FIA, and power unit manufacturers ahead of the Florida weekend.
Sources: Motorsport.com, The Race
Wolff Says 2026 Critics Should Hide After Miami, as McLaren Signals Title Fight Opening Up
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff declared critics of the 2026 regulations “should hide” following Sunday's Miami Grand Prix, arguing the tweaked rules had produced compelling racing. Wolff's comments came after in-season modifications to active aerodynamic deployment and energy harvesting limits debuted in Miami, producing a chaotic race with safety car periods, late spins, and multiple post-race investigations. McLaren showed significantly improved pace with its MCL40 upgrade package, narrowing the gap to Mercedes and suggesting the title fight may open up. Critics noted that Wolff's dominant team may not be the most objective judge of the regulations' success.
Sources: Motorsport.com, GrandPrix247
Ben Sulayem: Formula 1 Will Go Ahead If Verstappen Leaves as Title Struggle Deepens
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said Formula 1 “will go ahead” if Max Verstappen were to leave the sport, dismissing concerns about the four-time champion's potential exit. The comments came amid Verstappen's difficult 2026 start, with the Red Bull driver seventh in the championship on 26 points after four rounds, 74 behind leader Kimi Antonelli. Verstappen has been openly critical of the new hybrid regulations, and speculation about his long-term future has grown. Ben Sulayem noted that “so many stars come and go” across the history of the championship, adding that Formula 1 would endure regardless of any individual's departure.
Drivers' Championship
1. Kimi Antonelli — 100 pts
2. George Russell — 80 pts
3. Charles Leclerc — 59 pts
4. Lando Norris — 51 pts
5. Lewis Hamilton — 51 pts
6. Oscar Piastri — 43 pts
7. Max Verstappen — 26 pts
8. Oliver Bearman — 17 pts
9. Pierre Gasly — 16 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 10 pts
11. Franco Colapinto — 9 pts
12. Carlos Sainz — 8 pts
13. Alex Albon — 7 pts
14. Esteban Ocon — 4 pts
15. Gabriel Bortoleto — 2 pts
16. Fernando Alonso — 0 pts
17. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
18. Nico Hülkenberg — 0 pts
19. Arvid Lindblad — 0 pts
20. Sérgio Perez — 0 pts
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 180 pts
2. Ferrari — 110 pts
3. McLaren — 94 pts
4. Red Bull Racing — 26 pts
5. Alpine — 25 pts
6. Haas — 21 pts
7. Williams — 15 pts
8. Racing Bulls — 10 pts
9. Audi — 2 pts
10. Aston Martin — 0 pts
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