Sunday Debrief: Lando Norris adds his name to the list F1 race winner
- mallikarull
- May 6, 2024
- 5 min read
110 races in Formula One and 15 podiums later, Lando Norris breaks his record of the most podiums without a race win with a spectacular first win in Miami.
Image: Motorsport.com
Sprint
It was Verstappen who lined up on pole for the sprint, accompanied by Leclerc on the front row, followed by Perez. It was a stella qualifying for Ricciardo, which saw him take P4, Ricciardo making it into Q3 for the first time this season.
Before the lights went out, Ocon was handed a 10-second penalty for the race after a pit lane incident between himself and Leclerc, Bottas was handed a 3-place grid penalty for impeding in qualifying, while Albon started from the pit lane after changes were made to the Williams set up.
Going into the first corner of lap 1, Ricciardo did well to get ahead of Perez and up into P3, meanwhile behind the RB, his former teammate, Lando Norris in P9, got tagged in the back by Stroll in an incident involving Stroll, Alonso, and Hamilton. Norris spun around and stuck on the runoff area of turn 1 was out of the race, Norris later picking up a fine, when he was noted for getting out of his car and walking across the track by foot.
Image: Motorsport.com
The safety car coming out promptly after the incident, leading the drivers through the pit lane as marshals worked to clear up the track. Alonso with a puncture, after being squeezed between his current teammate, Lance Stroll, and former teammate, Lewis Hamilton, was able to pit under the safety car sending him to the back of the grid. Stroll on the other hand, picking up damage which saw him become the second retirement of the sprint. Ocon taking full advantage of the safety car, stopped in the pits to serve his 10-second penalty, coming back out on track just ahead of Alonso. The safety car returned to the pits at the end of lap 3.
The excitement of the race, coming from the fight for the final points finish between Magnussen and Hamilton. The pair battling it from start to finish of the 19-lap sprint. Magnussen being noted twice by Hamilton and the stewards for leaving the track, as the pair battled it out, and gaining an advantage, which he would keep. Magnussen picking up a total of 20-seconds as a time penalty as a result and was shown the black and white flag for exceeding track limits.
Hamilton being held up by the Haas, allowed Tsunoda to get close to the action as he made a pass on Hamilton on Lap 15 after Magnussen braked late, causing Hamilton to follow suit. Tsunoda with a good eye, taking the chance to get ahead of the 7-time world champion. Hamilton eventually getting ahead of the Haas on lap 15 and fighting Tsunoda for the final points finish which he would win, but it was Tsunoda who would walk away from the race with the points after Hamilton was handed a drive through penalty for speeding in the pit lane under the safety car.
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Despite complaining about low grip on the rear tyres, it was Verstappen to take a win once again, the only driver to finish in P1 in Miami. Verstappen was followed by Leclerc and Perez, the RB of Ricciardo doing well to bring himself home in P4, the Aussie driver fending off Sainz on the final lap to pick up his first points of the season.
Race:
Verstappen continuing to complain about his rear grip, landed himself on pole for a second time this weekend, followed by the two Ferrari’s lead.by Leclerc.
While the Mercedes started the weekend with what looked to be promising pace, Hamilton started the race from P8 behind his teammate who qualified in P7. Ricciardo, who had a cracking start to his Saturday, failed to replicate his pace from the sprint into qualifying pace, as he finished in P18, which he would be dropped down to P20 after a 3-place grid penalty being added on from China, for overtaking Hulkenberg under safety car conditions.
Going into turn 1 of lap 1, Perez locked up which sent him sliding across the track, Perez nearly crashing his teammate out of the race, while the Ferraris scrabbled out of the path of the Bull. Piastri taking advantage of the situation and jumping up into P3, before passing Leclerc on lap 4 to make his way up into P4.
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Behind the front runners, it was another race stuck behind the Haas for Hamilton, this time Hulkenberg holding Hamilton up until lap 10, Hamilton breaking away and chasing down the McLaren of Lando Norris. The Haas driver was left behind in the path of the other Mercedes driver, unlike his teammate, Russell was quick to clear the German driver on Lap 12.
A virtual safety car was brought out for a lap on Lap 23, Verstappen making an unusual error and hitting a cone at the bollard, none of the front runners benefiting from the virtual safety car. Verstappen very much under the pressure of the McLaren drivers in the race, pitted on lap 24 after the VSC had ended, allowing Piastri to take the lead. Piastri pitting a few laps later on lap 28, coming out in P4 as his teammate inherited the lead of the race.
Image: Motorsport.com
Lap 28 is where luck started to play on the side of Lando Norris, Magnussen tagging the back of the Williams of Logan Sargeant brining out a full safety car. Sargeant out of his home race, while Magnussen was handed a third 10-second penalty for the weekend. Lando Norris being the only driver up front to have not pitted yet was able to make a cheeky stop under the safety car and hold on to his lead with a comfortable gap between himself and Verstappen behind him. The safety car was brought in at the end of lap 32, all Norris had t do now was get his car to the chequered flag.
Piastri, who was having a brilliant race, was involved in contact with Sainz in the closing stages of the race, sending the Aussie back into the pits and re-joining at the back of the grid. Piastri still managing to secure the fastest lap but was unable to pick up a point for his efforts as he ran outside the top 10.
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