Verstappen dominates Miami sprint, edges out Leclerc and Perez
Max Verstappen showcased his commanding form once again by converting his pole position into a decisive victory in Saturday’s Sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix. The Dutchman led a thrilling contest, finishing ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.
Verstappen deftly defended his lead at the start, navigating through an early Safety Car period before pulling away to build a comfortable advantage. Leclerc settled into second place while Perez, after a bold but ultimately wide move at Turn 1, had to reclaim third from an initially fast-starting Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo, driving with precision, managed to fend off challenges from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Piastri, being the sole McLaren finisher following Lando Norris's first-lap retirement, showed resilience. Nico Hulkenberg brought Haas into the points in seventh, while Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull inherited the final point after a post-race penalty saw Lewis Hamilton dropping down the order.
The Sprint Qualifying session, similar to the previous round in China, dictated the grid for the 19-lap, 100-kilometre dash. Verstappen emerged on top despite a challenging SQ3 phase dominated by the struggle to optimize soft tyres. Several grid changes ensued, with Valtteri Bottas starting from the back due to a penalty, and Alex Albon starting from the pit lane after suspension changes.
An unusual incident between Esteban Ocon and Leclerc before the grid formation saw the former take on a new front wing and receive a 10-second penalty for impeding.
At the start, the majority of drivers opted for medium tyres while Tsunoda and Logan Sargeant gambled with softs. Verstappen immediately moved to defend his pole position as Perez's aggressive move allowed Ricciardo through to third. Norris, unfortunately, got caught in a first-corner melee involving Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Lance Stroll, leading to his early retirement.
“There was a gap on the inside, so I went for it,” defended Hamilton over the radio, though Alonso criticized the move saying Hamilton “arrived like a bull.”
As the race resumed post-Safety Car, Verstappen held his lead, with Ricciardo managing to stay ahead of Perez briefly before the latter executed a clean DRS-assisted pass on Lap 5. Midway through the race, Verstappen reported handling issues but maintained a gap of almost two seconds over Leclerc, with Perez trailing further behind.
Ricciardo’s fight to maintain fourth from Sainz and Piastri provided significant action. A key battle saw Hamilton duelling with Kevin Magnussen, with the latter receiving a 10-second penalty for track infringements during their contest.
Hamilton's struggles with Magnussen allowed Tsunoda to exploit the situation, moving up to ninth, effectively securing a net points position. The battle intensified with Hamilton’s attempts to overtake Magnussen at Turn 11, leading to further wheel-to-wheel clashes.
Read next ❯ Ferrari to reveal Hamilton's debut F1 car on February 19 at MaranelloAs Verstappen comfortably closed out the remaining laps to claim victory, Ricciardo managed to narrowly maintain fourth, finishing just ahead of the chasing Sainz and Piastri.
Hulkenberg secured seventh for Haas, with Hamilton initially taking eighth. However, a post-race investigation revealed Hamilton had sped through the pit lane, resulting in a 20-second penalty and dropping him down the order. Pierre Gasly thus claimed ninth for Alpine, followed by Sargeant, Zhou Guanyu, George Russell, Albon, Bottas, and Ocon.
Hamilton’s penalty saw him classified 16th, ahead of a delayed Alonso and Magnussen, who suffered multiple infractions.
Max Verstappen’s masterful drive in Miami’s Sprint race not only strengthens his championship aspirations but also highlights Red Bull's formidable pace. Ferrari’s Leclerc and Red Bull’s Perez rounded off the podium, reinforcing their competitive edge. The Miami GP promises another exciting chapter in this season’s thrilling F1 saga.
