The former Wisbech schoolboy out-placed seven time world champion and team-mate Lewis Hamilton once again, despite having qualified six places behind him the previous day.
In a race won by Max Verstappen, Hamilton was eventually overtaken by Russell, who benefited from a safety car period late on in the race after a long first stint on hard tyres at the sun-soaked Miami International Autodrome.
With his fifth place finish, Russell now finds himself fourth in the Drivers’ Standings ahead of Carlos Sainz and behind Sergio Perez.
He said afterwards: “It was obviously a good day to come home in P5. Especially after lap one when I was down in P15 and I was thinking it was going to be a long afternoon.’
“But we showed some good pace. I was pushing as hard as I could. It was a brutal race out there.”