Lando Norris ended a 110-race anticipate his first grand prix victory final weekend in Miami.
Solely seven drivers needed to wait longer than him to attain their first wins, two of that are amongst his present rivals.
By way of race begins, Norris needed to wait so long as Giancarlo Fisichella, who additionally scored his first win at his one hundred and tenth try. Nevertheless because the calendar was a lot shorter 20 years in the past, Fisichella’s breakthrough victory got here in his eight season, whereas Norris took his in his sixth.
Fisichella’s first victory got here within the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix. Nevertheless he was not credited with the victory till a number of days afterwards, when the FIA acknowledged it had interpreted its guidelines incorrectly when the race was stopped. The win was initially credited to, and later taken away from, one among Norris’ predecessors at McLaren: Kimi Raikkonen.
Norris averted breaking into the highest 10 drivers who began essentially the most races with out ever successful one. Nevertheless after final weekend’s race his rival Nico Hulkenberg stands alone on the prime of this desk. Will his forthcoming return to Sauber, quickly to develop into Audi, give him the prospect to affix Norris as a grand prix winner?
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Most begins earlier than first grand prix win
Most begins and not using a grand prix win
Norris additionally relinquished his place as the driving force who scored essentially the most podium finishes with out ever successful a grand prix. He’d had 15; Nick Heidfeld now heads that record once more on 13.
He’s the 114th driver to win a spherical of the world championship, and the twenty first to come back from Nice Britain. The final British driver to win a race was George Russell at Interlagos in 2022, which was additionally his first grand prix victory.
Norris scored the 184th grand prix victory for McLaren. They’ve the second-highest wins complete of any crew, 60 lower than Ferrari, however this was solely their second within the final 13 seasons. Norris is due to this fact the fourth completely different driver in a row to win a race for McLaren, following Lewis Hamilton (USA 2012), Jenson Button (Brazil 2012) and Daniel Ricciardo (Italy 2021).
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The someplace uncommon occasion of Verstappen failing to win a grand prix meant he missed the chance to surpass Hamilton’s profession win charge. However with Verstappen on 30.36% and Hamilton 30.47% this can change at Imola if the Purple Bull driver wins there.
Verstappen did win the dash race nonetheless, and by additionally ending second on Sunday he achieved the uncommon feat of scoring essentially the most factors of any driver in a race weekend with out successful the grand prix. This final occurred in 1957, when drivers have been allowed to share automobiles and factors scores. Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks shared victory within the British Grand Prix, which means they scored 4 factors every, whereas Luigi Musso took six factors for his solo drive to second (due to Ilanin for the tip on this stat).
Verstappen additionally prolonged his run of grand prix pole positions. This was his seventh in a row and sixth for the reason that season started. Which means he can equal two information on the subsequent grand prix: Most consecutive pole positions (held by Ayrton Senna) and most consecutive pole positions from the beginning of a season (held by Alain Prost).
Each McLaren drivers took turns within the lead. Oscar Piastri turned the fifth completely different driver to go the sector this yr. This was the second time in his profession he’s led a grand prix after Monza final yr.
Piastri did take the quickest lap, the third of his younger profession, however as when he did so at Monza final yr he failed to attain the bonus level as he didn’t end within the prime 10 (he did on the opposite event, at Las Vegas, the place he got here tenth).
Though Verstappen has led by far essentially the most racing laps in grands prix – 224 of the 331 thus far – his crew mate Sergio Perez is but to guide a single one. Perez has now gone a full yr with out successful a grand prix, throughout which era Verstappen racked up 21 victories.
Hamilton scored his greatest end in a grand prix this yr – a lowly sixth place. Daniel Ricciardo scored his first factors of the season with fourth place within the dash race, and seventh for Yuki Tsunoda within the grand prix meant RB got here away with 12 factors. That’s their greatest haul at a race for the reason that 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after they have been AlphaTauri.
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On the twenty eighth race weekend of his profession, amid a lot hypothesis over his future, Logan Sargeant lastly out-qualified his crew mate for the primary time. Nevertheless he solely managed to beat Alexander Albon in qualifying for the dash race, and regular service was resumed in qualifying for the grand prix.
Albon was taken out of the race by Kevin Magnussen who achieved the bizarre distinction of copping no fewer than six penalties throughout a single race weekend. 4 of those have been observe limits infringements within the dash race, then he was penalised for the collision with Albon and later for failing to alter tyres throughout a pit cease below Security Automobile circumstances.
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2024 Miami Grand Prix
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