Antonelli overjoyed with record-breaking Miami win but knows ‘the road is still long’ in 2026 title race

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli expressed his pride and satisfaction after a hard-fought run to victory in the Miami Grand Prix – becoming the first driver in F1 history to win his first three races from his first three pole positions.

Antonelli survived another tricky start when Sunday’s encounter got under way – once again being attacked into Turn 1 before taking to the run-off to avoid Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and then having to dodge Max Verstappen’s spinning Red Bull.

After regaining his composure, Antonelli fought back to come out on top in wheel-to-wheel exchanges with Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris, and maturely managed gearbox concerns to ultimately take the chequered flag first.

Speaking after the race, the Italian said: “The start was not as bad as yesterday – it was a little bit better! I didn’t expect Charles to brake that early, so to avoid him I locked up. I was a bit lucky with what happened [with Verstappen] in Turn 2.

“I did a little mistake with the energy management, trying to overtake Charles, then I lost a place to Lando, but then the pace was strong and I was able to stay close.

“Then the team did a great strategy; we did a massive undercut, and we managed to bring it home, even though it was not easy.”

Antonelli’s win, combined with team mate George Russell’s fourth-place finish, means the teenager now holds a 20-point lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship – but he is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

“This is just the beginning; the road is still long,” he commented. “But we’re working super hard, the team is doing an incredible job, and without them I wouldn’t be here – so it’s mainly thanks to them, my family.

“I’m going to enjoy this one and then get back to work, because Canada is in two weeks’ time.”