Lando Norris wins Miami Grand Prix to claim brilliant first F1 win

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Lando Norris put an end to Max Verstappen's dominant run of wins by securing his first-ever career victory in the Miami Grand Prix held on Sunday.

On his 110th race in the Formula One circuit, a 24-year-old racer from Bristol began from the fifth spot and seized the chance presented by a safety car situation at the Hard Rock Stadium. He swiftly surpassed Verstappen and maintained his composure to cross the finish line first.

Norris was filled with emotion when he finished the race, with a comfortable lead over Verstappen. Verstappen was unable to match the amazing speed demonstrated by the British racer. It was a historic moment for McLaren as they celebrated their first win in almost three years.

Verstappen came in second place since Charles Leclerc took third place for Ferrari, beating his teammate Carlos Sainz by one spot. Lewis Hamilton had his best outcome of the year, finishing in sixth place.

Norris, who quickly made a name for himself in Formula 1 after his first race in Melbourne in 2019, has often narrowly missed out on success.

He accomplished a great feat in F1 by becoming the initial driver in 74 years to finish on the podium 14 times, but he has yet to take the top spot. Recently, in China, he drove with exceptional skill but ultimately finished second to Verstappen.

The competition in Miami was dominated by Norris, even though previous US president Donald Trump paid a visit to the McLaren team's garage just two hours prior to the start of the race.

On Saturday, Verstappen won the sprint race with ease. Later, he earned his sixth pole position of the season and appeared to be headed for an easy win when he made a great start and took the lead.

He managed to avoid any harm when he collided with a red and white traffic post at the chicane during the 22nd lap.

Verstappen went into the pit stop a lap after to exchange his old tyres for new ones, which resulted in him losing the top position. However, the race made a sudden and surprising change when Kevin Magnussen from Haas collided into the back of Logan Sargeant, which ultimately gave Norris a better chance of winning.

When Sargeant's Williams car got damaged and the safety car was brought out, Norris got a chance to take the lead of the race because he had not stopped to change his tyres. This was a lucky break for him.

After the opponents were made level, Norris quickly made a pit stop to switch his tires and maintain his lead. Not only was he leading the race, but he also had newer tires, making his position even stronger.

Following four circuits, the safety car retreated, and Norris's composure was challenged as Verstappen, operating a more powerful Red Bull vehicle, was closely pursuing him.

Verstappen trailed behind Norris as they approached the first corner at a speed of 180mph. However, Norris skillfully maneuvered his car, painted an attractive Papaya orange color, and positioned it accurately at the right-hand turn's apex to prevent Verstappen from overtaking him.

Next, Norris clocked the quickest lap of the race and managed to create a one-second gap between himself and Verstappen, which was vital as it meant Verstappen couldn't make use of the DRS system to catch up.

All of a sudden, what seemed unlikely became achievable as Norris kept widening the gap. He went from being ahead by one second to two, then three, and with only 10 laps left, he was leading by four seconds.

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Perhaps Norris remembered the racing event that occurred in Sochi in 2021 where he lost the opportunity to win due to a sudden heavy rain and his decision not to change his tires to those suitable for the wet conditions.

However, the difference couldn't have been more apparent. In the state of Florida, with clear blue skies overhead, Norris grew up and triumphantly raised both hands as he finished the race, a full 7.6 seconds ahead of everyone else.

Norris expressed his exhilaration over the radio upon winning the 21st Grand Prix for Britain. He yelled out with joy, stating his love for everyone and expressing his gratitude towards his race engineer, Will Joseph. Norris exclaimed that they had achieved their goal and thanked his team for their efforts.

I suppose that's how things are accomplished. At last, my joy knows no bounds. As soon as I walked in today, I had a hunch that this day would bring endless possibilities. And sure enough, I managed to get it done. It's all thanks to you, my triumph would have been impossible without your help.

"I am grateful to my mother and father, and I would like to dedicate this to my grandmother. I appreciate your support."