Antonelli Wins Miami for Third Straight as Mercedes Admits Start Problem

Overview

• Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said Tuesday that the car’s race starts are “not good enough” after Miami, citing 2026 engines without the MGU-H that once kept the turbo spinning at launch.
• Andrea Kimi Antonelli won Sunday in Miami after dropping places at the start, then passing Max Verstappen on lap 29 and holding off Lando Norris, with Oscar Piastri third.
• The victory moved Antonelli to 100 points and a 20-point lead over George Russell, and Mercedes stayed perfect in 2026 Grands Prix.
• Stewards gave Charles Leclerc a 20-second penalty for cutting chicanes after a last-lap spin and wall contact, which dropped him to eighth, while Gabriel Bortoleto climbed from last to 12th.
• McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull brought major upgrades after the April pause, and F1 tweaked energy-use rules to reduce severe power drop on straights, changes that tightened the fight as Mercedes targets bigger updates for Canada on May 24.