F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Urges Lando Norris to Stay as Miami Party Begins

Lewis Hamilton encourages Lando Norris to celebrate his first F1 win in Miami, marking a significant moment for Norris and reflecting a positive trend for McLaren.

May 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (44) addresses the media / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

As Lando Norris celebrated his first Formula 1 victory at the Miami Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton, a former McLaren driver himself, encouraged the young Brit to extend his stay and enjoy the celebrations. Hamilton expressed joy over McLaren's resurgence and Norris's significant achievement.

The streets of Miami transformed into a festive arena as Lando Norris clinched his maiden Formula 1 victory, prompted Lewis Hamilton to advise the jubilant winner to change his travel plans and bask in the celebrations. Norris, racing for McLaren, showcased exceptional skill and his team strategic acumen to take the top podium spot, marking a monumental moment in his career and a resurgence for the Woking team.

Starting from fifth on the grid, Norris quickly became a focal point of the race, navigating through a field that included a near-miss collision involving Sergio Perez and a staunch defense from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. The race's dynamics dramatically shifted following a crash between Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant, which brought out the safety car. McLaren seized this opportunity, making a strategically timed pit stop that catapulted Norris into the lead.

Post-safety car, Norris displayed maturity and precision, holding off a determined challenge from Max Verstappen. His ability to maintain pace and manage the race from the front was a testament to his evolving racecraft and underlined by his personal reflections after securing the win.

Norris said: "I've finally delivered for the team. About time. It's been a long time coming, but finally, I've done it. I'm over the moon." He added, "The whole weekend has been good. I've had little setbacks along the way. I knew on Friday I had the pace, today we managed to put it together with the perfect strategy. I'm just proud. A lot of people doubted me along the way. I've made mistakes over the last five years, but we put it together today. I stuck with McLaren because I believed in them."

Lewis Hamilton, witnessing the young driver's success, was quick to offer both congratulations and a bit of festive advice.

"I feel really happy for Lando. I told him he needs to stay tonight. He will try to change his flight. He's got to change his flight, he's just won a race. Such a special moment to win a race. I started at McLaren, so really happy to see them back at the top. It's been a long time," Hamilton remarked.

The veteran driver also reflected on his team's performance, sharing: "A really good day. I'm happy with the set-up. We finally got that sorted. To be able to move forward and battle with a few drivers...one was close to ending! It was great to see a Red Bull and Ferrari in the distance."