George Russell finishes fourth in Miami Grand Prix amid late-race wing damage

George Russell climbs from his Mercedes after the Miami race with visible front wing damage.

George Russell nursed front wing damage to the finish line for fourth place at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday. The Mercedes driver tangled with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on the final lap at Turn 17, bending his wing and forcing a survival run to the checkered flag. Teammate Kimi Antonelli claimed victory, pole and fastest lap to extend his drivers' championship lead to 20 points after four races.

Russell started fifth after qualifying compromised by his smooth driving style that did not suit the Miami International Autodrome. He gained a position at the start and ran strongly in the top five through the 57-lap race on the 5.41km layout. A safety car on lap 32 bunched the field but he recovered well until the closing stages.

Leclerc attempted an inside move at the hairpin on lap 57 but clipped Russell's right rear, sending the Ferrari into a spin. Leclerc recovered for fifth while Russell lost drive from the damaged aero but held off McLaren's Oscar Piastri for fourth. Antonelli pulled away after the restart to win by 4.2 seconds from Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Team principal Toto Wolff backed Russell to rebound from the outlier weekend where Antonelli dominated. Mercedes locked in 1-4 finishes to stay atop the constructors' standings with 142 points. Russell sits second in the drivers' table on 68 points with one win from Australia.

The incident drew no investigation as both drivers held lines under braking. Russell called the Miami circuit an outlier for his setup preferences but expects better at Imola next weekend. Antonelli's hat-trick bid ended but the 19-year-old solidified title favorite status.

Mercedes introduced minor upgrades for Miami that aided straightline speed. The team now targets consistency through the European swing starting in Italy