Norris Wins Miami Sprint In McLaren One-two, Antonelli Demoted Motorsport 

Formula One world champion Lando Norris won the Miami Grand Prix sprint race in a McLaren one-two with Oscar Piastri on Saturday as Mercedes suffered their first defeat of the season.

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, after starting fourth, in the first race following a forced April break due to the Iran war leading to the cancellation of Middle Eastern rounds.

Mercedes pair Kimi Antonelli and George Russell crossed the line fourth and fifth respectively but the Italian was demoted to sixth after being given a five-second penalty for repeated track limits violations, with Russell moving up a place.

Reuters reports that the drop meant the 19-year-old winner of the previous two grands prix in China and Japan saw his championship lead over Russell cut to seven points. It also meant Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen moved up to fifth, with Lewis Hamilton seventh for Ferrari.

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly secured the final point in the 100-km race run in hot and humid conditions.

Antonelli now has 75 points to Russell’s 68 and Leclerc’s 55. Norris, fifth overall, is on 33.

Norris took the chequered flag 3.7 seconds clear of Australian Piastri after starting from pole position and pulling away to lead untroubled in a car benefiting from a raft of upgrades.