Kimi Antonelli shares his thoughts after Miami rule break leads to a penalty
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli shared his disappointment after being moved from fourth to sixth place in the Miami Sprint race. Although he crossed the line in fourth, a five-second penalty for going off track dropped him behind McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc continued his strong start to 2026 by finishing third.
Antonelli’s teammate, George Russell, was promoted to fourth. Max Verstappen took fifth, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly rounded out the top eight.
After the race, a happy Norris stood on his car waving to the Miami fans, calling the win a “perfect result” for McLaren. Russell admitted he had a tough day, saying he struggled on the low-grip track but managed to gain two places. He also praised the strong pace from McLaren and Ferrari.
Leclerc, despite finishing third, looked a bit annoyed with himself but was pleased with the team’s upgrades. He said the updates worked well and hoped to start higher on Sunday to make the race easier.
Antonelli, still leading the championship by seven points over Russell, admitted he was frustrated by his mistakes and the low grip on the track. He said this weekend has been tough because everyone brought big upgrades, and now they need to focus on getting the best results. “I need to avoid track limits next time,” he added.
The drivers will be back on track for qualifying later Saturday, ahead of Sunday’s race.