Video: Charles Leclerc gains position in Miami Sprint start after strong opening lap move on Antonelli. Charles Leclerc made a strong start in the Miami Sprint race.

The opening stages of the Miami Sprint race saw Charles Leclerc immediately put pressure on the cars ahead, delivering a sharp and well-timed launch off the grid that allowed the Ferrari driver to gain a crucial position within the first phase of the race.

Starting from fourth on the grid, Charles Leclerc wasted no time in attacking Kimi Antonelli, taking advantage of the early race shuffle to move into third place. The Ferrari driver executed a clean and decisive manoeuvre, capitalising on better traction and positioning as the field bunched up in the opening corners.

The move proved significant in shaping Ferrari’s early Sprint race outlook, with Leclerc quickly finding himself within podium contention as the race order began to stabilise. His strong start underlined Ferrari’s ability to generate competitive launch performance, even on a circuit where overtaking opportunities are heavily influenced by straight-line speed.

For Kimi Antonelli, the opening lap once again proved challenging. The Mercedes rookie lost two positions in the early exchanges, struggling to hold track position as rivals behind and alongside him applied pressure through the first sector. Despite showing promising pace in previous sessions, Antonelli was unable to maintain his starting position when the field compressed into Turn 1 and beyond.

At the front of the pack, Oscar Piastri also made progress, moving up into second place behind his McLaren teammate. The McLaren driver line-up continued to demonstrate strong form in Miami, with the team once again appearing to have a competitive package over a single lap and in early race phases.

Leclerc’s overtake on Antonelli was particularly important not only for track position but also for race strategy development, as clear air and early placement in the top three allowed Ferrari to better manage tyre degradation and race pace considerations in the Sprint format.

The early order therefore settled with McLaren leading the way, followed by Oscar Piastri in second and Charles Leclerc in third, setting the stage for a tightly contested Sprint race where small performance differences could play a decisive role over the remaining laps.

While the Sprint distance leaves limited time for strategic variation, Ferrari’s strong start suggested that track position would remain critical, especially given the difficulty of overtaking in Miami once the field spreads out and tyre management becomes more important.