With videoMax Verstappen has won the sprint race of the Miami Grand Prix. The Dutchman stayed out of the shot of Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc around the Hard Rock Stadium of NFL team Miami Dolphins. The entertainment came from midfield at the start of Saturday.
“There was a hole on the inside, so I went for it,” Lewis Hamilton said over the on-board radio. He saw that gap in the first corner of the sprint race of the Miami Grand Prix. The overtaking he had in mind caused quite a bit of damage. To his left there was a kind of pile-up of cars driving into each other’s sides. With the person who drove the most in the outside corner, McLaren driver Lando Norris, as the biggest victim. He was tagged off the track because both Aston Martin drivers had to avoid Hamilton and could not continue.
With Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll at the back of the field, the race continued after a safety car. With Verstappen ‘just’ in 1st place, by the way. He was ahead of Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc at the start. His teammate Sergio Pérez had failed to maintain his position. Daniel Ricciardo quickly overtook him in his Visa Cash App car in special Miami colors. However, when the sprint race resumed, Pérez quickly regained his spot.
Verstappen still sees areas for improvement
Verstappen did not get into trouble during the second sprint race of the season, but the 26-year-old driver was still not completely satisfied. “I wasn’t doing very well, so I had to take him [Leclerc] pinch off a little. Fortunately everything went well in Turn 1. After the safety car I had less to do and I was able to gradually increase the gap, but it was not completely perfect. So we still have some work to do.”
New this year is that adjustments can be made to the setup of the cars after the sprint race. In the previous seasons this was not possible due to the parc fermé rules. “This at least allows us to fine-tune the car a bit, so hopefully we can improve it a bit for later in qualifying and especially for tomorrow’s race,” said Verstappen: “But a win is good. I am happy with it and it gives us insight into what we can still improve.”
In the meantime, the battle in midfield was especially entertaining. Hamilton had ended up in a real battle with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen. The Dane did everything he could to keep the seven-time world champion behind him and regularly went over the edge, to the frustration of the Brit. It ensured that Yuki Tsunoda was able to pass the two and Magnussen’s teammate Nico Hülkenberg was able to drive away in peace and retain his seventh place. Ultimately, Hamilton was penalized for driving too quickly through the pit lane during the safety car. As a result, he even fell back to sixteenth place.
The neutral viewer needed all the consternation surrounding Hamilton to enjoy the sprint race, because it remained status quo at the front. And so Verstappen added another victory and was once again slightly ahead of his competitors for the world title, Leclerc and Pérez, who completed the podium.
Qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Miami will take place later Saturday (10 p.m. Dutch time).
Watch here how Verstappen parried an attack from Leclerc at the start:
Result sprint race Miami:
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6:35 PM
Verstappen wins!
Another Dutch sprint victory! Leclerc and Pérez can also join the podium.
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18:33
18/19
The difference between Verstappen and Leclerc is 2.5 seconds. The Red Bull Racing driver is no longer going to give this away.
18:31
17/19
Three laps to go in Miami. Verstappen is heading for an easy victory.
18:31
Time penalty Magnussen
The Dane – now in tenth place – receives a ten-second time penalty. Magnussen will sink even further.
18:28
14/19
Hamilton tries again with Magnussen, but has to pay for his overtaking attempt by losing a place. Yuki Tsunoda flies past. Can the Japanese still go to P8?
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18:26
13/19
The podium places seem to be forgiven. Verstappen keeps Leclerc behind without too much effort and Pérez is a bit in no man’s land in P3. Ricciardo is still keeping Sainz behind him.
18:25
12/19
A fierce duel between Hamilton and Magnussen in which the elbows are used. The question is whether what is happening there is according to regulations. The Dane is currently still eighth, Hamilton is ninth.
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18:22
10/19
Verstappen complains about his tires and the grip: ‘It’s just like during qualifying, terrible’. His lead over Leclerc has now grown to more than two seconds.
18:21
9/19
Magnussen cuts the chicane and Hamilton immediately reports on the on-board radio: ‘He has cut off part of the track!’ The competition management will investigate the incident.
The Mercedes driver has his hands full with Magnussen.
18:19
8/19
Leclerc seems to lack the pace to make it difficult for Verstappen. The gap grows by a tenth every lap, the difference is now almost two seconds. Pérez, in turn, was unable to really put pressure on the Ferrari driver.
18:17
7/19
Hamilton is in ninth place, but is increasing the pressure on Kevin Magnussen (Haas F1). His teammate Nico Hulkenberg is finishing seventh. A double points finish imminent for the American formation?
6:15 PM
6/19
Pérez just passed Ricciardo, who in his Visa Cash App RB car simply lacks the speed to compete for a podium spot. However, the Australian is still in a respectable fourth place, good for 5 points.
18:14
5/19
Verstappen immediately put Leclerc at more than a second and that means no DRS for the Ferrari driver. The leader in the World Cup did an excellent job in less than one and a half laps.
18:11
4/19
Verstappen has an excellent restart and retains the lead in the race. Furthermore, no changes in the batting order in the first kilometer since it is ‘green’ again.
18:10
3/19
The safety car is still driving ahead of the field. This will soon come to an end, because Bernd Mäylander will soon return to the pit lane. It’s time for action again!
18:08
The top ten
1. Verstappen
2. Leclerc
3. Ricciardo
4. Perez
5. Sainz
6. Piastri
7. Hulkenberg
8. Magnussen
9. Hamilton
10.Tsunoda
18:06
Safety car
The safety car comes out. It is Lando Norris who can no longer continue his way after a touch. The sprint race has been neutralized.
The McLaren driver couldn’t do much about this himself, Lewis Hamilton seems to have been a little too enthusiastic, causing a minor pile-up. The curtain has also already fallen for Lance Stroll.
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18:04
Start!
Verstappen is well on his way and is in the lead after the first corner. Behind it we see Leclerc, Ricciardo and Pérez. The teammate of the three-time world champion has lost a spot.
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18:03
All drivers have almost returned to the straight. It only takes a little while until the lights go out on the street circuit in the state of Florida.
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Tags: Max Verstappen remains critical simple sprint victory Miami perfect formula
