MIAMI GP: MCLAREN DOMINATES, RED BULL STRUGGLES, FERRARI IN LIMBO

Oscar Piastri continues to carve his name into the 2025 season with increasingly convincing performances. In Miami, he claimed his fourth win out of six races—his third consecutive victory after triumphs in Sakhir and Jeddah. An impressive run that confirms both his exponential growth and that of a McLaren team now firmly entrenched at the top. The Woking-based outfit has already secured five victories, including Lando Norris’s win in Melbourne. The lone exception? Max Verstappen’s isolated success in Suzuka—for now, a one-off.

Back to Florida, where Piastri delivered a masterpiece. Starting from the second row, he read the opening chaos between Verstappen and Norris to perfection, attacked with precision, and rattled the Dutchman into a rare mistake at Turn 1. Not many drivers can unnerve Max like that. From that point on, the Australian set the pace with unshakable composure, crossing the line as a deserved leader. He now leads the championship with 131 points, ahead of Norris (115), while Verstappen begins to feel the pressure.

Some call him “cold,” detached, robotic—a new Raikkonen, they say. But the reality is simpler, less romanticized: Piastri is a driver who lets his driving do the talking. He’s polite, thoughtful, but ruthless once the visor comes down. He’s not after likes or camera time—he prefers letting the stopwatch make his case. And in Miami, once he stepped out of his MCL39, he smiled more than ever. He hugged his mechanics, joked with Zak Brown, and even shared a small celebratory dance with his girlfriend. Far from robotic—he simply doesn’t need to show off.

The battle with Verstappen was a showcase of racecraft. Piastri stayed close for a lap, applied just the right amount of pressure, then struck with a surgical move on the outside, forcing Max into a lock-up. A clean, textbook pass that left the three-time world champion defenseless. Norris, on the other hand, went for a more aggressive approach at the start but overdid it—Verstappen ushered him off-line, playing his usual power game. The Brit still seems unsure of how to counter it. Only after a long chase—marked by errors and wasted energy—did Norris finally get past.

In the end, McLaren celebrated a 1–2 finish, its second of the season after Shanghai. Despite a tough qualifying session, the MCL39 proved rock-solid over race distance, managing tire wear with surgical precision—something rival top-tier teams couldn’t match. Red Bull suffers from unpredictable form, Mercedes is still chasing, and Ferrari simply lacks consistency.

George Russell completed the podium, finishing third with a Mercedes that looked far more competitive than in the disappointing Sprint. It was his fourth podium in six races, though the gap remains harsh: over 37 seconds behind Piastri. For now, Mercedes is doing what it can.

Russell came under review for alleged violations during the Virtual Safety Car period triggered by Bearman’s retirement. Meanwhile, Andrea Kimi Antonelli had a stunning start, climbing to second in the opening laps. However, he struggled on hard tires and eventually finished sixth—his fourth top-six result of the season, a sign his talent is real and developing steadily.

Red Bull, on the other hand, has little to celebrate. Starting from pole and ending up fourth, nearly 40 seconds off the lead, is a heavy blow. Verstappen can no longer ignore that Piastri is showing no fear—and beating him fair and square. Their only consolation? A solitary point from Yuki Tsunoda, earned after a last-lap scrap with none other than Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls. Not exactly the intra-team rivalry you expect from reigning world champions.

Alexander Albon also delivered a standout performance, finishing fifth for Williams after an already strong showing in the Sprint. The British team is starting to reap the rewards of diligent work and can finally enjoy a genuinely satisfying weekend.

And Ferrari? Once again, the script repeats itself: lots of questions, few answers. Leclerc and Hamilton looked more frustrated than ever. Strategic decisions from the pit wall were baffling. On different tires—mediums for Hamilton, hards for Leclerc—they waited too long to let the Brit through, compromising both of their races. When Leclerc eventually found his rhythm, he requested (and was granted) the position swap. All this to chase down Antonelli—unsuccessfully. The result? Seventh and eighth, lightyears behind the true contenders. Their only faint silver lining is that the gap to Mercedes and Red Bull isn't as hopeless as it once seemed.

To worsen Ferrari’s weekend, both customer power units blew up: one in Bearman’s Haas, the other in Bortoleto’s Sauber. A technical meltdown. And if it rains at Ferrari, it hails at Aston Martin: both cars lapped, with Alonso spinning alone—a moment that said more than any post-race interview ever could.

© Cavalieri Garage & Co.