American-style appetizer: after the mini pole, Max Verstappen wins sprint race Of You love me. For the Dutch of Red Bull it is the 2nd success in a row in a 100km race after the one in China two weeks ago. And to say that the world champion doesn’t like the short race format, introduced in 2021, to liven up the weekends. But he adapts and out of 14 events played so far, he has won 9. In the 19 laps at the Hard Rock Stadium, he shows signs of wanting to dictate the law also in Sunday’s grand prix (at 10pm Italian time). Qualifying on Saturday evening (also at 10pm) will give the starting order.
Leclerc: “Verstappen has another step”
Max also manages to overturn hierarchies: right in Florida where the Formula 1 he made his debut in 2022, won both editions and even started 9th last year. Max happy but not completely: “It wasn’t an entirely perfect race, we can improve and fix the car. However, winning is nice and this race can give us a few more points.” He would need an enemy. Charles Leclerc? The Monegasque of Ferrari he is 2nd as at the start, closing with a good three seconds behind him. He tries at the start, but he can’t do much more. He has already worked magic in the mini qualifying by placing himself in that starting position without having run the free practice, due to an error on his part (he spun). In a few hours he will try again to show that it is not true that he has lost the touch in the flying lap. On Friday he said that having found a sense of speed again was a relief, also to chase away the criticism that was accumulating a little. “I started well, but I didn’t want to take too many risks, I pushed hard and the degradation wasn’t bad. However, Max had more pace. Tomorrow? The race will be long and it will be important to start as far ahead as possible. Yesterday in the mini qualifying we were close with Max, unfortunately I hadn’t lapped much but with this sprint I got a few more in the works.”
The accident at the start
In addition to the desire to return to the spotlight. Leclerc places himself there and divides the Red Bull: Sergio Perez it’s 3rd. “Difficult to get out of the tangle at the beginning, then difficult to get back to Charles”. Chaos begins: Lando Norris he was sent off on the first lap after a carambola behind him triggered by the Aston Martin Of Fernando Alonso And Lance Strollas well as partially from Mercedes Of Lewis Hamilton who, although ultimately 8th after a furious battle with an over-the-limits Magnussen on the Haas (the Dane penalized for a total of 35”), was relegated to 16th for speeding in the pit lane. But Norris is the one who loses the most: he doesn’t even manage to run, after being hit by the Canadian of the Verdona. Both return to the pits and remain there without being able to continue.
Ricciardo, splendid fourth place
Perez in the meantime was overtaken immediately after the traffic lights by a splendid one Daniel Ricciardo on the Racing Bulls, the Mexican regains his place. The Australian, who was in great difficulty at the start of the season and was almost at risk, rediscovered himself in Miami. Excellent mini qualifying and equally excellent race: at the end he resists the attacks of the red team Carlos Sainzwho finishes 5th and honors him with a gesture of compliments.
