USA - Miami
The celebrities came out, influencers were roaming, and fans were everywhere—Miami showed up, to say the least! The weekend was definitely an exciting one. With a sprint format, action was constantly up and down the track for all the viewers watching, whether you were at home like me, snuggled up on the couch, in the stands, or lounging on a yacht submerged in solid concrete/ “water”. I am sure you weren’t disappointed. The race was full of excitement, unpredictable safety cars, and a whole lot of pace (for some teams).
photo: RaceFans.net ©XPB Images
Lando Norris
A Grand Prix winner, something I can't believe but also comes as no surprise. His talent, I think, is something the entire grid, the fans, and the teams can all see and appreciate. It was “long overdue.” I can’t imagine the nerves he was going through, although I am sure he had confidence as well. He has spent his whole life striving for this and could probably do it in his sleep. Treating it like a normal race when he was leading with 20 laps left would have been hard but essential.
Just thinking of all the work and time he has dedicated to his career, his parents and family devoting themselves with support—it is truly what this sport is all about. Hard work paying off. One of my favorite moments in the post-race sequence of events was certainly his phone call to his family, saying, “It finally paid off,” and mentioning he wasn’t scared, unlike his family who were eagerly watching, I assume, back home across the pond. The fact that this was straight after the race and his first thought was to see what they thought demonstrates a clear bond that equates to success.
In some of the past races, especially last season, his self-assurance was fading from what we could see in the media. He seemed to be very hard on himself, so all I wish is that this race, this win, has secured something in his brain, affirming his ability and talent. It helps knowing what is possible with his car. I am sure he has gained more vital confidence.
But my all-time favorite part of the post-race celebrations was the number of drivers who came up to him in excitement that he is officially a Formula 1 winner. I think almost half the grid took time to pat him on the back and give him a hug— of which we saw. I am sure many talked to him afterward and commended his race, even expressing their delight through social media. Evidently, showing the friendships and relationships he has gained in such a competitive and brutal sport.
Lando's (and the rest of the grids) post-race interview where he simply just wants “to smile the rest of the day”
video: Formula 1 YouTube
Oscar Vs Carlos
Miami brought another saga in the duel between Carlos and Oscar. On multiple occasions, the two have been seen pushing each other off track, causing each other problems, crashing, or simply not giving space. But today’s clash was crucial to both of their races, especially for the young Australian. Carlos’s frustrations were said to have begun in the hectic first corner and with Perez’s cut through the grid 'like a torpedo,' causing him to lose two places. Then, obviously, he was a bit angry with Oscar earlier in the race at turn 11, followed by the penalty.
The stewards reviewed the incident in turn 17 and stated “that Car 55 (Sainz) was overtaking Car 81 (Piastri) at Turn 17 when he lost the rear slightly and collided with Car 81. The collision resulted in damage to the front wing of Car 81. It was clear to us that Car 55 was to blame for the collision. In the overtake attempt, Car 55 braked late, missed the apex and in the process lost the rear, with the resulting collision. Although Car 81 was trying to turn in to counter the overtaking attempt, Car 81 gave sufficient room to Car 55.”
This penalty resulted in Carlos dropping down from 4th to 5th and gaining 1 penalty point (total of 1 for the 12 month period) and for oscar to having to pit and work his way up to 13th with the help of the unfortunate timing of the safety car.
Logan Vs Kevin
Another unfortunate race for logan, hometown hero had an extremely ill-fated race, and it wasn’t his fault at all. With the uncertainty of his future and maybe being the last time he appears on the grid in Miami he said that it was a “disappointing way to end his race home weekend” especially after seeing positives on the Friday and Saturday in the sprint race and getting so close to Q2 in qualifying.
But Kevin whom spent a lot of time in the stewards, logan was just a victim to his antics causing him to add another DNF to his résumé.
The stewards final word on this incident was Magnussen, “Car 20 was… wholly to blame for the collision that occurred” And that at Turn 1 and then again on the outside at Turn 2 the two “finally collided” and that “in order for Car 20 to be given room for an overtaking attempt on the outside, Car 20 needed to have the front axle at least alongside the front axle of the other car at the apex of Turn 2. It was clear that Car 20 did not have its front axle in that position such that it was entitled to room in that corner. Further, if this is looked at purely as an overtaking on the inside of Turn 3, Car 20 would also not have had the right to the corner, by the standards for an inside overtake.”
Kevin Magnussen
He is definitely right in saying that it was 'not a good day again,' after gaining a record-breaking total of six penalties—the most any driver has received over a single F1 weekend. These penalties included four during the sprint and two during the main race: one for track limits, three for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, one for a collision, and one for pitting and not changing tires. This has brought his total to 10 penalty points for a 12-month period, with the possibility of a three-month suspension if he gains two more. The fact that this has been accumulated so early in the season is a daunting and scary situation to be in.
In his post-race interview, his annoyance and frustration were not well hidden, understandably. Not having the most secure seat for the 2025 season adds to the pressure he must be bearing.
McLaren
McLaren after a great weekend and having their first podium since Daniel’s in at Monza 2021, I believe they should be ecstatic with the result and although oscars P13, clear movements forward were evident, and their pace was… well competitive.
When I was watching the race I genuinely thought it was going to be a Piastri podium if not a win, but then the cards were turned against him in a “a disappointing afternoon on [his] side” but he has stated that “the car felt the best it’s been all year” and that “it’s really promising for what’s to come” which I cant help but agree with, especially after Oscar’s car only having 50% of what Lando's had.
I think this win as Lando, Oscar, Will Joseph, Andrea Stella, Zac Brown, and many other members all said this weekend was simply a reward for all the effort put into the team. As Andrea highlighted that they’ve “been on a journey for some time, after an incredible turnaround last year. [They’ve] kept momentum, and today is another very important step and hopefully the starting point for greater success”
And with these upgrades which they came into the race weekend saying it isn’t the best track to fully maximise what they have created - yet it took them a week. Certainly is a scary thought for the other teams.
Red Bull
Red Bull simply didn’t maintain the pace this weekend that we have seen over the last few races and throughout last season. Both drivers faced different problems that held them back.
Max hit the bollard, which Christian Horner described as "unfortunate to sustain floor damage." This incident surprised us all, including Max himself. Equally unexpected was Sergio’s dash through the grid in turn one, which was quite the spectacle. I am still surprised there wasn’t any damage for him or other cars as he sliced his way through. However, Perez said the team had unexpectedly very little grip, and he struggled with the tyres for the entire race on the two mediums.
The bollard incident, getting the chicane wrong, not having time to take advantage of the virtual safety car or the safety car that came out later, and the lack of balance in the car all contributed to Red Bull’s challenges this weekend.
photo: F1
Ferrari
The team had a very tough race today, starting with Charles Leclerc's poor start. Usually being so quick, the lack of pace is unoticeable, but watching the lights go out, Charles stuck out like a sore thumb, appearing almost stationary. Although this was only for a second, it was detrimental when fighting 19 other cars. Charles also described turn one as "a close call” in relation to Perez and I cant agree more.
Both drivers and the team mentioned that the safety car's timing was unfortunate, and the contest with Piastri, as mentioned earlier, added to the race’s frustration.
Fred noted that “it was also a good result for Formula 1 as a whole.” After a season dominated by record-breaking performances, there was a drastic drop in viewership worldwide. Although last year showcased Red Bull's hard work paying off, seeing different drivers on the top step is always exciting. However, they have noted upgrades coming, "so hopefully [they] can join the fight for victories soon."
Mercedes
The team had mixed feelings coming out of the race today, struggling with bad starts from George, many battles for Lewis, especially on such a hard track to overtake. There were tyre issues with the hard compound, and, like many other teams, not having the pace, coupled with the timing of the safety cars.
Lewis, returning from the race to the media pit, was excited. It was nice to see him so cheerful and passionate about the close battles he had, and he shared his "zero fear" in such a high intesnity moment. Watching each race, with so many leaving Lewis on a downer and not where he wants to be, it's good to see he still has it in him and remains obsessed with the sport, even if he isn’t at the front.
George described his race as “difficult” after losing a few positions at the start and being knocked out of the top 10, spending much of the race fighting his way back. Russell also described the lack of pace as “unexpected” but noted Lewis had a “strong race.” Toto also added that statistics showed “Lewis was faster than Perez in the Red Bull,” so there is hope for closer battles.
“I've really enjoyed this weekend race- Wise It's been a lot of fun on track really great tough close battles I mean jeez going down to turn 11 up against the wall Wheels locked I was like oh jeez this could be a big either big crash into this corner or I'm going by uh so I love that I had that um like in zero fear in that moment so I'm super grateful for that uh and then yeah just to be able to hold on to the Bulls or to the bull was really quite cool uh great job by my team”
Racing Bulls
After Daniel's impressive result in the sprint and sprint qualifying, he had “optimism,” but the unfortunate qualifying put them in a bad position. Starting from P20 was tough, and with traffic in the second stint, all odds were against him. The biggest surprise was the genuine pace of his car earlier in the weekend and then Yuki’s performance in the race, gathering some points.
In contrast, Yuki described the weekend as “incredible” and said they “didn’t make any mistakes,” which is quite rare and a fraction impossible. Laurent Mekies, the team principal, stated that they came with updates, and they “lived up to [their] expectations.”
Aston Martin
Alonso started on the hard tyres, which gave him a slower start but later came in handy as he moved up the grid, ultimately going from P15 to P9 and gaining some points for the team. Stroll was another victim of the sudden safety car after pitting. He also received a penalty for his “pass” on Alex, to which he said he’ll “go through the onboards later, but it feels like a strange penalty.” The stewards reported the penalty was for “leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage,” which he didn’t give back.
Alpine
An impressive race from the recently troubled Alpine team, who seemed to be very far behind the grid back in Bahrain and the first few races, but today they earned a well-deserved point. The first lap made me nervous as we saw another fight between the two teammates. Ocon reflected on it, saying he was on the inside and then saw Pierre, who kind of kept going to Ocon’s surprise, but he admitted it was “good racing.”
Despite such a horrible start to the season, I am excited about the progress they're making. Even though most would not celebrate a single point, I think celebrations are valid in this case. Bruno stated that they “must keep striving for more if [they] are to keep fighting for higher positions. The hard work will continue as [they] eye up returning to Europe next time out.”
Haas
We covered Magnussen and his not-so-good day, but Nico also struggled with the first stint and just not being “strong enough.” Although he enjoyed the race, he doesn’t think they “could’ve done anything differently.” Ayao Komatsu believes Nico’s P11 is a positive, which I agree with, but being just out of points must be frustrating, especially trying to keep up with the middle to lower teams in the teams standings, particularly Racing Bulls, who got a few points.
Sauber
Sauber has been struggling recently with pit stops and figuring out the correct strategy.
Bottas did a three-stop race and finished 16th. He thought the middle was quite tight and that “even the smallest margin could make all the difference.”
Zhou stated that they did everything they could. What I found interesting was his statement saying he got “stuck behind Alex and, while [he] was able to leverage [their] corner speed advantage, [they] simply couldn’t match the top speed of his Williams.” meaning how far off are they from the rest of the pack who are so much further ahead of both teams. These two teams have very similar cars this year, both being on zero points and struggling to consistently put in positive results. Yet Alessandro Alunni Bravi states, “nobody is losing motivation.”
Williams
The unfortunate fate of Sargeant’s car left him as the only DNF of the race on his home soil.
Alex admitted to struggling “with grip all weekend,” similar to other teams like Perez's Red Bull, yet Alex seemed confused with their strategy. It was clear these problems were occurring, yet they “tried to do a long run on the tyres which didn’t work,” and he phrased it as “one of the most challenging races [he’s] had with the team.” I hope they can talk and explain to each other what happened.
photo: RaceFans.net ©XPB Images
In The Media
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In The Media ---
A very happy Fred Vasseur?
Out of all the people I thought would celebrate Lando’s win, Fred was definitely not the first to come to mind, but I am not even surprised. Eager to join in the celebrations, he wore the McLaren cap and sneakily prepped a bottle of champagne to spray onto the team.
Fred is a character full of surprises, and I can only imagine how enjoyable he is while having probably one of the most stressful jobs, with the whole of Italy and a good fraction of the world on his back.
Off the back of a bender
Lando before the weekend spent in the Netherlands celebrating Kings day. Spending the day on a packed boat huddled around his friend Martin Garrix and other DJ's celebrating. Covered in orange he became apart of the army that surrounds him at Zandvoort. He also was consumed by the countries flag, which i thought he might be sick of at this point.
It is uncertain how he did But he reportedly injured his nose on some glass, causing the media to go wild at the possibility he wouldnt race from a minor scratch.
Although having a blast he did show his face in Miami just mere hours after. Showing the true warrior mentality.
Little did he know he would be the man of the weekend and be caught from every angle with the bandaid centred on his face.
photos: Mclaren instagram
Miami liveries
The two teams that switched their look up this weekend definitely had different approaches.
Ferrari used the weekend to honor Ferrari's historical place in the US motorsport environment, marking the manufacturer's 70th anniversary in the American marketplace. In 1964, this breakthrough was celebrated with a special US white and blue livery, featured in the final two races of the season. The cars ran in the North American Racing Team colors as part of a protest, by order of Enzo Ferrari, symbolizing a significant moment in Ferrari's storied history in the United States. their livery was certainly good, but i was expecting a lot more blue, but it seems the protests or changes to their car come much more rare than in the golden era. I did really like the changes they made to the uniform and team wear that appeared across the weekend.
And the Racing Bulls' livery of 'chameleon' was amazing. I really liked it. When I hear 'special livery,' I want emphasis on the word 'special,' not just a simple change in one color. They nailed this, and their original livery this year is my favorite by a mile. It definitely gave off Miami vibes, with the designers completely understanding the assignment.
Lando Norris - everyones friend
Most, if not all, of the grid are clearly very proud of the young British talent on achieving his long-awaited win. As someone who loves good competition, fights, and rivalries, I also enjoy seeing them all have the ability to set these feelings aside. It is clear Lando is well-loved in the paddock and in the sport in general.
Many drivers came up to him straight after the race, but even more offered their congratulations in post-race interviews and reports, including team principals, praising his win and the team's performance.
photos: Sky sports
This one’s for Gil
Gil de Ferran played a crucial role at McLaren, contributing to the team's success through his engineering and motivational skills. Although he never drove in Formula 1, his two separate tenures with McLaren saw him take on different roles that were vital to the team's operations. His impact at McLaren was marked by his dedication to continuous improvement and his influence on both the engineering and racing sides of the team.
After he passed away at the end of 2023 Mclaren make sure his work and his memory do not go unnoticed. He was integral to putting them back on the front line and on the top step today.
