Norris becomes a Grand Prix winner at last, Verstappen continues the Miami polesitter curse and Leclerc overtakes Lauda in the list of Ferrari podiums. Here are the facts and statistics from the 2024 Miami Grand Prix.
NORRIS TAKES FIRST WIN AT 2024 MIAMI GRAND PRIX
On his 110th race start, Lando Norris became a Formula 1 race winner. Taking victory in the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, Norris became the first driver to take his maiden win in the United States since Michele Alboreto at the 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix.
Norris became the 21st different British driver to win a Grand Prix, extending the record for most different drivers from a nation to win a race.
Norris secured McLaren’s first Grand Prix victory since Daniel Ricicardo led home a McLaren 1-2 at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
This was McLaren’s first victory in the United States since Lewis Hamilton won the 2012 United States Grand Prix – the inaugural race at Circuit of The Americas.
Norris equalled the record for the most podium finishes before a first win. The record is now shared between five drivers who all won for the first time on their 16th podium appearance: Patrick Depailler, Jean Alesi, Mika Hakkinen, Eddie Irvine and Norris.
Norris’ victory means that Nick Heidfeld takes back the record for most podium finishes without a win.
Norris won the 2024 Miami Grand Prix from fifth on the grid. It was the 49th win in total from fifth on the grid – and the first since Sergio Perez recorded his first victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.
Winning on his 110th attempt, Norris equalled Giancarlo Fisichella for eighth in the list of most race starts before a first Grand Prix victory.
Norris’ win makes 2024 the 28th season in which a Mercedes engine has won in Formula 1. That sees Mercedes equal Renault for second on the list of most years in which an engine manufacturer has won.
This was the first time that Norris – or McLaren – scored a point in a Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome.
ON THE PODIUM
While Max Verstappen became the first driver to record three podium finishes at the Miami Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc became the second to record multiple podium results at the track.
Verstappen recorded his 103rd top three finish, equalling Kimi Rakkonen for sixth on the list of most podium finishes in Formula 1.
This was the first race in which Verstappen has finished in a worse position than where he started since the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix – the last Grand Prix to be won by a British driver.
This was the first Miami Grand Prix not to be won by Verstappen. Verstappen started from pole and finished in second place. It’s the third time in three Miami races that the polesitter has finished as runner-up.
Miami International Autodrome is only the sixth circuit at which none of the first three Grands Prix there have been won from pole position.
The 2024 Miami Grand Prix was the 13th consecutive race in which Verstappen led a lap. This was only the seventh time that a driver has led at least one lap in 13 consecutive races. Verstappen is the first driver to do so since Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
Leclerc recorded his 33rd podium finish with Ferrari, overtaking Niki Lauda for seventh in the list of most podium finishes with the team.
Leclerc’s third place finish made Monaco the 19th nation to have scored in 100 Grands Prix.
The 2024 Miami Grand Prix is the second F1 race in which the driver starting fifth won, with the polestiter finishing second and the driver starting second finishing third. The only other time it has happened was at the 1972 Canadian Grand Prix.
IN THE POINTS
Sergio Perez finished fifth on the road in the 2024 Miami Grand Prix but moved up to fourth after a post-race time penalty for Carlos Sainz. Perez recorded a ninth consecutive top five result. Fourth place equalled the worst finish to date for a Red Bull driver in Miami.
With sixth place, Lewis Hamilton recorded his first top six finish since his podium result at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix. Hamilton finished ahead of George Russell in a Grand Prix for the first time this season.
Hamilton has finished sixth in every running of the Miami Grand Prix to date.
With eighth place, Russell recorded his – and Mercedes’ – worst Miami Grand Prix result to date. The team retain their 100% double points record at the track, however.
Coming home seventh, Yuki Tsunoda equalled his best result of the season to date. He also finished seventh at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix.
Tsunoda recorded his and the Red Bull junior team’s first points at the Miami Grand Prix – though Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth in Saturday’s Sprint.
Fernando Alonso equalled his worst result of the season to date with ninth place but scored points for the ninth consecutive Grand Prix.
Alonso gained six positions in the 2024 Miami Grand Prix – the most of any driver.
With tenth place in the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon scored Alpine’s first point of the 2024 season. Ocon’s point made France the third nation, after Britain and Germany, to have scored in 70 Formula 1 seasons.
This was Ocon’s first top ten finish since he finished fourth in the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
THE OTHER FINISHERS
Making his 209th start and finishing 11th at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg overtook Andrea de Cesaris at the top of the list of drivers who’ve made the most starts without winning a race.
With 12th place, Pierre Gasly recorded his best result of the season so far.
Finishing 13th in the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri failed to score points for the first time in seven races. His last non-points-scoring finish came at the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, where he finished 14th.
THE RETIREES
Logan Sargeant, in his home race, was the only driver to retire from the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. This was the Williams driver’s first DNF since the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix.
This was the first DNF for a Williams driver in Miami, meaning that only Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and Alpine now hold a 100% finish rate at Miami International Autodrome.
