Unpacking The Miami Grand Prix (And The Aftermath)

The one time I take time off, a ton of crazy stuff happens. I won’t beat around the bush; let’s just get down to business and detangle everything, shall we? Right, where do I begin? 

Some circuits test machinery, and some test men… And then there’s Miami, which tests everyone’s flair for the dramatic. From the rainy chaos of Saturday’s sprint to the chess match that unfolded under Sunday’s sunnier haze, the 2025 Miami Grand Prix delivered a race weekend that proved to be one of the slightly more peculiar weekends of the season… so far. 

Sprint and (Not Champagne) Showers 

The second sprint of the season began in the most unexpected way possible - a deluge that turned the tarmac into a high-speed slip-and-slide and delayed the start. Thankfully, the FIA stewards learned their lesson from the drenched 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix and had enough ducks in their row to make the calls necessary to ensure the race went on in a safe and timely manner. 

Despite this, McLaren’s papaya duo thrived. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured a 1-2 finish that felt not just earned, but inevitable thanks to sharp tire calls, impeccable lines, and zero fear. Third place delivered the perfect plot twist - Lewis Hamilton. Opting for slicks while others hesitated, the Ferrari driver converted his call into action and worked his way from what was initially an unideal start, reminding everyone that he’s still got it.

The Race: A Sunshine Stalemate

By Sunday, the skies had dried, but the drama, classic and unique to this sport, remained. What unfolded was a study in strategy, timing, and the sheer sting of missed moments. 

Oscar Piastri delivered a Floridian victory for McLaren, making it the second year a papaya driver won the Grand Prix. Lando followed home in second, perhaps not as dominant as he was in the sprint, but strong nonetheless. George Russell came in third. But here’s the headscratcher that will be interesting to watch over the next few rounds - Williams seemed to be faring well compared to Ferrari. 

Much to everyone’s surprise, Alex Albon claimed fifth place while Sainz (who finished in ninth) was left once again a bit flustered following a bout of his teammate defying team orders. A Williams podium, specifically an Albon podium, is inevitable this season. It’s a matter of Williams remembering that they are no longer the underdog, and not even an okayish mid-field team - they are now an ever-growing threat to the Big Four (McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes) on the grid. 

Ferrari, on the other hand, worked through communication issues, the most remembered being the strategy team’s much too-hesistant call to switch positions towards the last few laps of the race, to the point that both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (who was already having a rough time that weekend after having to sit out the Sprint) expressed both impatience and frustration on the radio. They ultimately finished P7 and P8 behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli (who became the youngest pole sitter after securing the Miami Sprint pole position at eighteen years old). 

Overall, the race weekend was memorable, with McLaren establishing they are the team to beat in both Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. 

Now, let’s unpack everything that’s happened after Miami: 

Alpine Shakes Things Up

A few days after the Miami Grand Prix, the rumor mill spoke of Franco Colapinto taking over Jack Doohan’s seat. Mind you, this was one of the many talks of the paddock before the season even began. Unfortunately, everyone was waiting for Doohan, a rookie, to be booted out of the seat after every mistake he made. What didn’t help his case, however, were his lackluster results… So it was a matter of time before the murmurs came to fruition. An official announcement was made on May 7th, 2025. That, of course, was not the only breaking news from Alpine. 

Shortly before the driver switch was announced, the French team announced that Team Principal Oliver Oakes was resigning from his role and that executive advisor (and former Team Principal) Flavio Briatore was set to take over. 

Many people have very strong feelings about Briatore returning to his old role. It’s for a very valid reason - he was banned from Formula One until recently for asking one of his Renault (as Alpine was known as back then) drivers to deliberately crash his car to benefit fellow driver Fernando Alonso at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, a scandal known referred to as “Crashgate”... A core part of 21st century F1 lore that deserves its own article. With that in mind, amongst other things, don’t be surprised if any commentators (including yours truly) discuss anything Alpine or Briatore-related with skepticism for the rest of the season. 

Stuff Happens Off-Track 

Anyone who follows Formula One and any other motorport series knows the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and their… peculiar ways of running things. Simply put, for now, everyone (whether you’re a driver, a Team Principal, a commentator, or a fan) has a bone to pick with the organization for one reason or another. Everyone seems to agree that the current president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, tends to stir the pot for the wrong seasons (F1 lore that deserves its own article). That being said, the FIA presidential election is coming in December, and names of possible contenders have been floated around recently, including Susie Wolff, the director of the F1 Academy. However, no one is sure if she is going to run. A new name, however, has been brought to the forefront and has attracted significant attention - Carlos Sainz Sr. 

Yes, you heard that right - rally driver and father of Williams driver Carlos Sainz Jr. is considering running for FIA president... and there doesn’t seem to be a conflict so far. As the elections aren’t for a while, I’m curious to see if any other high-profile figures will come forward with their intent to run. I’ll come back to this every once in a while to see how that’s going. 

Buckle down to your couches, chairs, beds, or wherever you sit to watch the races. The summer will bring numerous on-and-off-track happenings to unpack.