2023 Formula 1: Miami Grand Prix Review

An extraordinary performance from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen sees the Dutchman win the Miami GP after starting in 9th place

The 2023 Formula One season may still be in it’s infancy, but there is most certainly one driver who certainly looks very likely to challenge for the Formula 1 World Championship title this season. Max Verstappen saw a win in the Miami Grand Prix as an opportunity to strengthen his claim for a third successive championship title.

The Dutchman is a two time world champion, having won the title in both of the last two seasons. Verstappen is making a strong bid so far to win the driver’s title once again, and got his third win of the season after managing to find his way through the field to emerge victorious.

What made this even more extraordinary was that he began the race 9^th on the grid.

The Red Bull driver is also yet to finish outside of the top two, with teammate Sergio Perez also a driver challenging for the title. The Mexican driver has two wins to his name so far, which came in the Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Onto the race itself; in the bid for victory Verstappen was on a mission and after passing Fernando Alonso he found himself in second place just behind teammate Perez by lap 15.

Hard tyres were chosen by Red Bull to give their Dutch driver what they saw as the best chance of winning the race, with all other drivers in the top seven opting for medium tyres – and it worked.

By lap 19, it became clear that Perez was struggling with medium compound tyres, with the Mexican pitting and opting for hard tyres to match his teammate. He came out of the pit lane just 3.3 seconds ahead of Verstappen.

After a very long 25 lap stint on hard tyres, which was the longest of any driver on the grid, Verstappen pitted himself, and he came out in second. With the fresher tyres, it only took one further lap for the two time world champion to take the lead of the race.

Verstappen never looked back, winning the race comfortably. He finished 5.3 seconds ahead of Perez in second place, whilst it was anther two time world champion, Fernando Alonso, who took the final step on the podium.

This victory gives the Dutch driver a 14 point advantage on second place in the driver’s championship at the time of writing with 119 points. Perez has 105 points and is second place, with Alonso third with 75.

There was an impressive performance from 7 time world champion Lewis Hamilton who made a comeback of his own, coming back from 13^th on the grid at the start of the race to finish in 6^th place for Mercedes.

Alonso continues to impress with a great performance in this race as did Kevin Magnusson (Haas), who finished in a very credible 10^th place.

On his spectacular victory, Verstappen said (via BBC Sport): “I stayed out really long on the hard tyres and I think that’s what made the difference and then a good little battle with Checo (Sergio Perez) at the end.

“Yesterday was of course a bit of a setback but today we kept it calm, kept it clean and for sure winning a race from P9 is very satisfying.”

The much anticipated Monaco Grand Prix is on the horizon, with the race getting underway at 2pm on Sunday 28^th May. The British Grand Prix takes place a few weeks later at the iconic Silverstone on Sunday 9^th July, with the race beginning at 3pm.

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