Kimi Antonelli overcame a fierce battle with Lando Norris to clinch a third successive victory and extend his title lead as the Miami Grand Prix survived the weather.
The Italian ultimately got the jump on Norris at the pit-stops and fended off the reigning champion to stretch his advantage in the standings to 20 points from teammate George Russell.
The 19-year-old clinched victory in China and Japan to seize the initiative over his experienced teammate before an enforced five-week break after the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races due to the war in the middle east.
His momentum was unaffected, bouncing back from a tricky sprint to land a third successive pole and race win.
Norris, who triumphed in Saturday's sprint, has re-emerged as a genuine race-winning threat in his upgraded McLaren but could not reel Antonelli in.
Max Verstappen paid the price for a first-lap spin and finished fifth, with Oscar Piastri third.
Russell has had a tough weekend but made two late places to take fourth, as Charles Leclerc's late spin cost him two places to end up sixth, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in seventh.
Sunday's race was moved forward by three hours to 1 p.m. local time as F1 bosses fought to beat the forecast thunderstorms later in the afternoon.
An early-morning lightning storm gave way to bright Miami Gardens skies in the hours preceding lights out -- but a 40% threat of rain loomed.
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Pole-sitter Antonelli has struggled at every start this season and was under fire again as Verstappen -- on the front row for the first time in 2026 -- and Leclerc made it three abreast into Turn One.
Verstappen and Antonelli locked up as Leclerc led before the Dutchman spun at Turn Two and dropped to ninth. Norris was up to third and teammate Piastri up from seventh to fourth.
"Ah f--- sorry guys," Verstappen said.
The drama continued as Leclerc and Antonelli exchanged the lead before Norris got the jump on Antonelli for second.
The safety car was out on Lap Seven as first Isack Hadjar trundled into the wall before Pierre Gasly suffered a horrible crash, his back wheel colliding with Liam Lawson as the Frenchman's Alpine flipped and bounced upside down before righting itself.
Gasly thankfully reported he was fine as Verstappen pitted under the safety car.
At the restart, Piastri jumped back ahead of Russell for fourth, who complained his setup was wrong, before Norris surged past Leclerc on Lap 13 to claim the lead.
Antonelli and Leclerc yo-yoed for second, the Italian eventually triumphing, as Leclerc soon had Piastri for company.
Out front, Norris opened up a commanding gap but the threatened rain complicated the picture.
Light spots were not enough to force a change to intermediates as the leaders started to make their planned pit-stops.
Russell jumped Leclerc and crucially out front, Antonelli pitted on Lap 26 -- a lap earlier than Norris -- and was able to undercut the leader before the pair passed Verstappen.
As the race settled down, Norris was unable to get within striking distance of Antonelli as the young Italian continued to show he is the real deal as a title contender.
Verstappen attempted to pull off a one-stop strategy but was reeled in on old tyres by Leclerc, Piastri and Russell -- after a late battle.
Leclerc lost out to Piastri for third, before a late spin gifted places to Russell and Verstappen in the final corners.