By F1 correspondent Michael Butterworth
BEIJING, May 4, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Oscar Piastri continued his strong run of form with a commanding victory in Sunday's Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, securing his third consecutive race win and extending his lead in the drivers' championship.
The Australian led a dominant McLaren one-two finish ahead of teammate Lando Norris, while George Russell rounded out the podium for Mercedes.
Starting from fourth on the grid, Piastri made a clean getaway and quickly climbed through the order, overtaking pole-sitter Max Verstappen on lap 14 with a well-judged move into Turn 11.
With McLaren managing tire strategy effectively, Piastri controlled the race from the front, crossing the line 4.6 seconds ahead of Norris after 57 laps around the Hard Rock Stadium circuit. The win marks Piastri's fourth in six races this season, making him the first McLaren driver since Mika Hakkinen in 1998 to win three consecutive Grands Prix.
Norris, who had taken victory in Saturday's Sprint, recovered after having dropped to sixth on lap 1 when attempting to overtake pole-sitter Verstappen. With McLaren proving the class of the field in Miami, Norris fought back into second place, but was powerless to catch Piastri.
Russell, meanwhile, capitalized on Mercedes' alternate pit strategy and a fortunately-timed Virtual Safety Car to leapfrog Verstappen and claim third, half a minute behind the dominant McLarens. In humid conditions in Miami, Russell later required medical treatment for dehydration and missed the post-race press conference.
Verstappen's Sunday faded after early signs of promise. Red Bull struggled with tire degradation and balance, with the Dutchman voicing frustration over radio before being passed by both McLarens and Russell. His teammate Yuki Tsunoda salvaged a point with a tenth-place finish.
Williams produced one of their strongest performances of the season, with Alex Albon finishing fifth and Carlos Sainz ninth, sandwiching Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli in sixth. Ferrari endured a difficult afternoon, with Charles Leclerc finishing seventh and Lewis Hamilton eighth. Hamilton, who was visibly irritated post-race, questioned the team's strategy calls and radio communication, saying, "We've got work to do. There's potential, but today we didn't get it right."
With six rounds complete, Piastri now leads the drivers' standings on 131 points, ahead of Norris (115) and Verstappen (99). McLaren's emphatic result extends its lead in the constructors' championship with 246 points, comfortably ahead of Mercedes on 141 and Red Bull on 105.
Formula 1 returns to Europe on May 18 for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, where McLaren will look to continue its impressive run of form and Piastri will aim to extend his championship advantage. ■
