Miami Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins sprint race from Charles Leclerc

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took a controlled victory ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix.

Verstappen was in control after fending off an attack from Leclerc at the first corner.

Sergio Perez dropped behind RB’s Daniel Ricciardo at the first corner, after trying to pass Leclerc, but recovered to take third.

Ricciardo drove an exceptional race, fighting a rearguard battle, to hold off Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari and Oscar Piastri’s McLaren to take fourth.

Lewis Hamilton was left frustrated by some over-aggressive defence from Haas driver Kevin Magnussen in eighth place, taking the final point on the track.

But Hamilton was penalised for speeding in the pit lane and given a drive-through penalty, which added 20 seconds to his race time and dropped him to 16th.

Magnussen earned himself two 10-second penalties – one for leaving the track and gaining an advantage and one for forcing Hamilton off the track.

The second incident was especially annoying for the seven-time champion because it allowed RB’s Yuki Tsunoda to slip by for eighth place after Hamilton had spent 14 laps trying to pass the Haas.

Hamilton, though, managed to reclaim the place on the final lap, only to be hit with the penalty.

He was also involved in a first-corner incident that led to the retirement of McLaren’s Lando Norris that will be investigated by stewards.