F1 Report; 2025 Miami Grand Prix sprint race turned chaotic after the FIA issued a series of late penalties that…read more.
2025 Miami Grand Prix sprint race turned chaotic after the FIA issued a series of late penalties that…read more.
The 2025 Miami Grand Prix sprint race turned chaotic after the FIA issued a series of late penalties that dramatically reshaped the final classification. McLaren’s Lando Norris initially crossed the line first, with teammate Oscar Piastri second and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in third. But post-race reviews by the FIA led to multiple penalties that shook up the order.
Most notably, Max Verstappen, who had finished fourth on track, was hit with a 10-second penalty for an unsafe release in the pits that endangered Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli. This penalty dropped Verstappen all the way down to 17th, marking his first finish outside the points since 2016. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner admitted the error was due to human mistakes and stressed that lessons would be learned.
Other drivers were also penalized: Liam Lawson received a five-second penalty for causing a collision, Oliver Bearman was penalized for an unsafe release, and Alexander Albon was hit with a penalty for a safety car rules breach. These decisions allowed drivers like Yuki Tsunoda, Kimi Antonelli, and Pierre Gasly to move into points-paying positions.
The sprint race had already been disrupted by heavy rain, with a red flag after the opening lap. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crashed on the formation lap and couldn’t start, while both Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz Jr. retired due to separate incidents.
As the teams look ahead to the main race, Verstappen will start from pole and aim to bounce back, with the constructors’ battle now tighter than ever.
