After its five-week break through April, Formula 1’s return in Miami this weekend did not disappoint. Kimi Antonelli won his third grand prix of the year, although it was far from straightforward for the young Italian, and there were scraps up and down the order to keep track of. Here’s what the international press made of the 2026 Miami GP.
The Guardian: “All the hallmarks of a champion”
Starting from pole position, Kimi Antonelli once again did not have a great launch, dropping back to third place. In the end, however, victory still went to the 19-year-old Italian, who further extended his lead in the championship.
In its race report on the Miami Grand Prix, The Guardian speaks of Antonelli’s ability to “keep his cool” and his “champion’s composure”, which brought the young Italian the win. “The teenager cannot legally buy a drink in the US yet but by the end of what was a gripping run to the flag the Italian had most assuredly earned a stiffener,” the British outlet writes.
“The day, however, firmly belonged to Antonelli and much as his wins in China and Japan were impressive, this victory on the circuit that winds its way round the Hard Rock Stadium was of another calibre. While he will not countenance its discussion, it did have all the hallmarks of a champion.”
The Guardian judges the victory to have been “fully deserved” and states that it has confirmed Mercedes is still leading the way – “at least in Antonelli’s hands,” the reporter adds. “Russell, the pre-season favourite, now sorely needs to reassert his authority on a title fight in which Antonelli has bossed the last three rounds.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Marca: “Spin ruins Verstappen’s race”
The start of the race was fairly hectic. Max Verstappen immediately tried to take the lead on the inside, but locked up under braking. As a result, Charles Leclerc was able to cut back on the inside and take the lead, after which Verstappen lost control and spun. Miraculously, the rest of the field managed to avoid him, but the mistake dropped Verstappen back to ninth place.
“Verstappen seemed to have everything under control to take the lead, but locked up in an attempt to keep Leclerc behind and put a wheel onto the wet part of Turn 1,” writes Spain’s Marca. “That resulted in a perfect 360-degree spin.”
“He recovered, but dropped to ninth place and saw his race go up in smoke. From the pit wall, the team still tried to benefit from the safety car on lap nine, but on the hard tyre it became a long race. In the end, he was still able to make up some positions in the chaotic closing stages.”
Marca also notes that Russell “has seemed somewhat lost for some time compared to the rise of his team-mate”. “Antonelli is becoming increasingly confident and is building a lead that will be difficult for Russell to close without misfortune or incidents. Italy continues to celebrate in Formula 1. It brings fresh energy to the championship, in which three (and a half) teams are now competing for wins, although Ferrari and Max Verstappen still appear to be one step below Mercedes and McLaren.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Brett Farmer / LAT Images via Getty Images
L’Equipe: “Verstappen could not fight on equal terms”
France’s L’Equipe speaks of considerable chaos at the start of the race in Miami, with a leading role for Verstappen’s spin. “The Red Bull made a 360-degree spin and caused chaos on the exit of Turn 2,” the race report reads. Antonelli, however, avoided that chaos by running wide in Turn 1.
“Antonelli is no longer just the pleasant surprise of the start of the season; he is a very serious title contender,” states L’Equipe. “Even so, it was not an easy beginning for the Mercedes driver. His start was better than usual, but still somewhat hesitant.”
There is also attention for the battle for the final podium place, which was “fierce and chaotic” with Oscar Piastri and Leclerc. “Verstappen, who made his pit stop during the neutralisation on lap six, could not fight on equal terms with Leclerc, Russell and Piastri. The Dutchman drove an aggressive race, held on for a long time, but had to give ground on lap 47.”
“Ultimately, Piastri came out on top in this fight, confirming McLaren’s strong comeback. However, Leclerc made a mistake on the final lap, lost two more positions and finished a disappointing sixth, behind Russell and Verstappen,” the verdict read even before Leclerc was dropped to P8 by a 20-second time penalty.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
La Gazzetta dello Sport: “The only ‘hurricane’ was Antonelli himself”
In Italy, there is great delight at Antonelli’s third consecutive victory. “The strongest is Italian and now we can officially dream: Antonelli has also won the Miami Grand Prix and there is no longer any doubt – the 19-year-old from Bologna is more than ever a contender for the 2026 world title,” writes La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“What Antonelli showed was a masterpiece in the style of the greats: winning without having the fastest car,” the reporter adds. The reason Mercedes no longer had the fastest car? McLaren’s return, according to the Italian outlet.
“The Woking-based team brought many updates and the pace of the papaya-coloured cars was clearly better than in the first three races of the season. But that is precisely where the beauty of Antonelli’s performance lies: he managed to fend off the attacks of his rivals and controlled both crucial phases of the weekend – qualifying and the race – like a champion.”
Antonelli was once again the strongest in the Grand Prix, despite a mediocre start.
The race report continues with even more praise for Antonelli. “Yesterday he took pole position purely on talent; today he drove a perfect race in which he overcame all the pitfalls with the enthusiasm and talent of someone aiming for the top. There were fears of a stormy Sunday, but the only ‘hurricane’ was Antonelli himself, who beat the world champion with a masterful race.”
On the other hand, Ferrari endured a less convincing race. Leclerc seemed on course for third place until the closing stages, but a spin and contact with the wall on the final lap put an end to those hopes. “A pity for Ferrari, which seemed to have the podium in its hands with Leclerc.”
Leclerc’s time penalty dropped him back to P8, promoting Lewis Hamilton to sixth place. But the verdict in Italy is clear: “These are details that unfortunately change nothing about the harsh conclusion – the updates were not enough to alter the hierarchy, and the gap to Mercedes and McLaren remains.”
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