Brutal radio message amid Piastri horror show

Lando Norris embraces Daniel Ricciardo after finally breaking F1 drought

One of the longest droughts in F1 has finally been broken as Lando Norris saluted at the Miami Grand Prix in jubilant scenes.

Matthew Sullivan

7 min read

May 6, 2024 - 9:01AM

Any race Max Verstappen doesn’t win these days is rare, but Lando Norris’ triumph at the Miami Grand Prix on Monday morning (AEST) was particularly special.

Norris started fifth on the grid and it looked like Oscar Piastri would be McLaren’s hope for a podium when the Aussie flew around the outside and up into third on the opening corner.

But a fortuitous mid-race Safety Car played straight into Norris’ hands, giving him a free change of tyres while Verstappen struggled by his standards in his Red Bull.

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Piastri was driving superbly until he damaged his front wing in a battle with Carlos Sainz, lost two places and fell to dead last when he had to come into the pits to replace his front wing.

While Piastri couldn’t have been more unlucky, Norris had a dream race and cruised to his maiden F1 victory ahead of Verstappen and Charles Leclerc as McLaren’s car upgrades paid dividends.

Martin Brundle said on Sky Sports: “It’s not some crazy wet race. He’s beaten both Ferraris, both Red Bulls fair and square. That’s what will be extra satisfying about this victory.”

Danica Patrick said: “He’s got the personality of a champion. He’s fast, confident and funny.

“You just get that feeling that some day he’s going to win a championship.”

Norris made his F1 debut in 2019 and it took until his 110th grand prix to salute, after claiming the unwanted record of having the most podiums (15) without a race victory — including eight second places.

The Brit came agonisingly close to winning the 2021 Russian Grand Prix only for wet weather to cruel his chances.

Lando Norris finally has a race win to his name. (Photo by Giorgio Viera / AFP)

Piastri, his younger teammate, won a Sprint race last year — ramping up pressure on Norris to get the monkey off his back.

It’s the first grand prix win for McLaren since Daniel Ricciardo’s victory at Monza in 2021 and signals Norris has finally arrived as a contender and a future world champion.

Ricciardo embraced Norris in pit lane after the race in a classy touch, while Norris dropped an F-bomb and simply said it was “about time” he won a race.

The popular 24-year-old was still sporting tape on his nose after he partied a little too hard in Amsterdam the week before the race.

It was a day to forget for the Australians — Piastri finished 13th and Daniel Ricciardo was 15th.

Danny Ric hugs Lando after the race. Photo: Fox Sports.

Miami GP results (top 10)

1) Lando Norris, McLaren

2) Max Verstappen, Red Bull

3) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

4) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari

5) Sergio Perez, Red Bull

6) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

7) Yuki Tsunoda, VISA Cash App RB

8) George Russell, Mereces

9) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

10) Esteban Ocon, Alpine

7.35am - Lando wins

He’s done it. Lando Norris has won the Miami Grand Prix, claiming his maiden career victory.

7.25am - Brutal radio message

Daniel Ricciardo managed to keep Oscar Piastri at bay in an all-Aussie duel on lap 52, prompting his race engineer Tom Stallard to urge Piastri not to crash.

Stallard said: “Reminder Lando is leading the race. We do not want to cause a Safety Car here.”

That’s probably not what Oscar wanted to hear after his own race went sideways. He eventually managed to overtake Ricciardo in the dying stages.

7.02am - Piastri’s race over after Sainz tangle

Carlos Sainz was convinced Oscar Piastri pushed him wide at Turn 11 but race officials cleared the Aussie of any wrongdoing.

Sainz was furious at Piastri and the Spaniard overtook him on lap 40, before Piastri’s race went quickly downhill.

Piastri damaged his front wing in a battle with Sainz and he soon lost places to Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton to be seventh.

Piastri had to come into the pits to have his front wing replaced and in a bunched field he fell all the way down to 19th place, which is effectively last because Logan Sargeant is out.

I'm heartbroken for Piastri, he was driving so bloody well today

So unlucky
— Matt Gallagher (@MattP1Gallagher) May 5, 2024

David Croft said: “That is such bad luck for Oscar Piastri. What could have been a top four finish, he’s going to be lucky to finish in the points.”

Martin Brundle said: “That’s a shame.”

Ted Kravitz said: “Piastri’s great showing in this race falls apart, bad luck for him.”

Australian F1 fans are all too familiar with this feeling of the hope of a podium or win being ripped away in brutal fashion.

Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri tangle.

6.46am - Piastri pits, Lando gets cheap pit stop

We’re halfway through the race and Oscar Piastri has pitted for the first time, with his teammate Lando Norris taking the lead.

Logan Sargeant then crashed into a barrier, allowing Norris to get a cheap pit stop during the Safety Car after he went long on his first tyre stint. Kevin Magnussen copped a 10-second penalty for causing Sargeant’s crash.

David Croft said: “Wow. They went for the Hail Mary strategy in Lando Norris going long and this Safety Car on lap 29 could be the Formula One equivalent of a touchdown for Lando.

“This could not have gone any better for Lando Norris.”

Martin Brundle said: “McLaren look like the fastest car.”

Norris was so far ahead of the Safety Car it took a while for the cars to get in order before the race resumed.

The Brit has 15 career podiums without a win but this could be a golden opportunity with him absolutely flying on both old and new tyres.

Daniel Ricciardo was as high as 11th but fell to 16th after the restart.

6.41am - Verstappen smashes cone, Piastri leads race

Max Verstappen is human after all. He smashed into a bollard that looked a lot like a skinny orange traffic cone at the hairpin chicane, triggering a Virtual Safety Car.

The world champion pitted soon after, allowing Oscar Piastri to take the lead of the race.

Max Verstappen smashed into the bollard. Photo: Fox Sports.

6.26am - Piastri ‘keeping Verstappen honest’

Oscar Piastri is still in second place and is keeping the Ferrari behind him while staying two to three seconds behind Verstappen.

The first pit stops are happening, with Ferrari and McLaren running split strategies against each other.

Ted Kravitz said on Sky Sports: “Red Bull are still concerned about Piastri. Red Bull have told Verstappen to pick up the pace, stop managing the tyres. Piastri doing a really great job at keeping Max Verstappen honest.”

6.10am - Piastri off to a flying start

What a start for Oscar Piastri.

The Aussie started sixth but made the most of Sergio Perez locking up and going wide on the first corner after the start.

With Perez, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris on the middle and left hand side of the track, Piastri show thround around the outside.

Sky Sports’ David Croft said in commentary: “Piastri was nowhere near third place until Sergio Perez’s lock-up and then it just opened up for him.”

Perez came awfully close to running into the back of his teammate and ending Verstappen’s race.

Perez was 0.2 centimetres away from being demoted to Visa CashApp RB #MiamiGP
— Tom Bellingham (@TomP1Bellingham) May 5, 2024

Sainz wasn’t happy with Perez, telling team radio: “What the f*** was that? It should be a penalty! He nearly took us out.”

On lap 5, he then managed to overtake Charles Leclerc and is producing the fastest lap times in the early stages.

Oscar Piastri (top orange car) flew through around the outside. Photo: Fox Sports.

6am - Newey’s Ferrari handshake says it all

With Verstappen dominating this season again, all eyes are on the off track movement following the news car designer Adrian Newey was leaving Red Bull.

They say a picture paints a thousand words, so make what you will of photos of Newey looking at the Ferrari and McLaren cars on the grid and shaking hands with Piero Ferrari — the only living son of Ferrari founder Enzo.

F1 world champion Jenson Button said on Sky Sports: “I love how Adrian is still looking at all the other cars on the grid. He’s definitely thinking about possibly racing here over the next couple of years, isn’t he.”

Adrian Newey, the Chief Technical Officer of Oracle Red Bull Racing shakes hands with Piero Ferrari on the grid in Miami. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Adrian Newey looks at McLaren's car in Miami. Photo: Fox Sports.

Adrian Newey takes a glance at Ferrari’s car. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Newey, 65, is not required to take gardening leave but has said he would like to take a break from F1 and travel with his wife before deciding on his next move.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was seen speaking with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff in the paddock, amid rumours of the Silver Arrows tabling a bumper offer to Verstappen.

“He’s won everything all weekend but he hasn’t had anything nice to say about the car,” Sky Sports commentator Ted Kravtiz quipped about Verstappen.

5.45am - Trump, stars turn out in Miami

It wouldn’t be an F1 race in America without plenty of celebrities spotted on the grid and in the garages.

Donald Trump was seen rubbing shoulders with McLaren’s American CEO Zak Brown, who was chewing the presidential’s ear off.

Popstar Camila Cabello was also in attendance, along with the likes of Ed Sheeran, NFL champion Patrick Mahomes and Jake Paul.

Meanwhile, American motorsport legend Mario Andretti said he wants an F1 team “on the grid in 2026”. Andretti’s bid to join as an 11th team was recently rejected.