Miami served up sun, drama, and a clear message: Oscar Piastri is the man to beat. McLaren was unstoppable, Mercedes opportunistic, Red Bull frustrated, and Ferrari… confused. Here’s who came out on top and who left South Florida scratching their heads.
🏆 Winner: Oscar Piastri, leading the charge
With four wins in six races, Piastri has fully announced himself as a title contender. He outmaneuvered Max Verstappen early in the race and then checked out — pulling a 37s gap on Russell, 40s on Verstappen. Brutal.
He’s also the first McLaren driver since Häkkinen in 1998 to win three races in a row. Big shoes, but he’s filling them fast.
More: McLaren’s stunning resurgence in 2025
❌ Loser: Red Bull, chasing shadows
Quick in qualifying, slow in the race. Red Bull’s tyre degradation problems remain unresolved, and the RB21’s updates at Miami didn’t deliver enough.
Even Verstappen’s typical magic wasn’t enough. Tsunoda, stuck in P10, didn’t fare much better.
🏆 Winner: Williams, best day in years
Despite losing a sprint P4 to a penalty, Alex Albon shined on Sunday — finishing ahead of both Ferraris and almost catching Mercedes.
With 12 points in the bag and their 2026 project already underway, Williams is moving forward faster than anyone expected.
❌ Loser: Ferrari, flat-footed again
Slow on Saturday, indecisive on Sunday. Leclerc and Hamilton lost time due to poor strategy calls, and Ferrari was outpaced by Williams.
There’s hope in the form of a big upgrade package due at Imola, but it’s badly needed.
🏆 Winner: George Russell, always consistent
Beaten in qualifying by rookie Kimi Antonelli, Russell responded the best way: a strategic race to P3. With a bit of luck via the VSC, yes — but also with flawless execution.
He’s become Mercedes’ most reliable scorer, even as the team still lags behind McLaren.
❌ Loser: Aston Martin, sinking deeper
Stroll’s P5 in the wet sprint was a rare bright spot. But in the dry, Aston Martin was nowhere. 15th and 16th, a lap down, and still no points for Fernando Alonso in 2025.
With everything now pinned on 2026 and Adrian Newey, the Silverstone team must hope the pain is worth the wait.