Miami Grand Prix: Super Max strikes again!

The Miami temporary circuit is located in the Hard Rock complex. Home to William’s rookie, Logan Sargeant. Last weekend was the first race since Miami launched in 2022. The 20 drivers have 57 laps, an equal distance of 308.326 km, to win as many points as possible and attempt to claim victory.  With 19 corners, 3 DRS zones and a lengthy speed trap, the Miami circuit had every potential to be a chaotic race like last year. However, it was a somewhat ‘clean’ race. It is the first race this season without a flag, virtual or full safety car, or DNF.

The same can’t be said with the free practice sessions and qualifying. During free practice 1, we saw multiple spin-outs, including Hass driver Nico Hulkenberg losing the rear and ending the session with a red flag.

Free practice 2, Charles Leclerc’s oversteer resulted in him hitting the barrier into turn 7. Hass driver Kevin Magnussen, like his teammate, also spun; however, he recovered and carried on. Baku winner Sergio Perez received a black and white flag in the pit entry.

Like every qualifying session, it gets very intense, and this wasn’t indifferent. Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu had trouble with their engine provider's driver, Carlos Sainz, as he blocked his path on a racing lap. Nyck De Vries had an unsafe release in front of Hass, testing Hulkenberg’s reactions. For the first time this season, Lance Stroll was out in Q1 in what can be said, driving the fastest car Aston Martin has produced to date. We saw both McLaren’s out. Lando Norris qualified 16^th, and his Australian rookie teammate, Oscar Piastri, in 19^th.

In Qualifying 2, Hass committed their own unsafe release, and we said goodbye to Sir Lewis Hamilton. Starting 13^th on the Sunday grid, it is the worse qualifying position he’s ever had in America.

The third and final qualifying round is where the grid was mixed up. Max Verstappen abandoned a lap and headed back to the pits. Although, he later regretted that when Charles Leclerc lost control in sector 1, turn 7 again, causing a yellow flag that ended in a red flag, leaving Verstappen without setting a time and starting in 9^th place. Amazingly, the top 6 qualifiers were all from different teams, making us believe the championship could be closer this racing season.

Our pole sitter was the street circuit specialist Sergio Perez with Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz closely behind him.

Although the race lacked the usual flags and incidents, there were still minor collisions. The alpha Tauri of Nyck De Vries clipped McLlaren’s Lando Norris as he overtook, causing him an early pit stop. Logan Sargeant, the home town hero, also claims,

“Front wing damage from lap 1 ruined my race.”

Max Verstappen had some pressure on him if he wanted a chance of a podium from 9^th position, but the Dutchman labelled as ‘Super Max’ made it to 3^rd within 14 laps. The two Red Bulls battled it out during the last 10 laps. However, it seems that Perez’s strategy couldn’t compete with his teammate as his used hard tyres couldn’t keep up, dropping him to second. Fernando Alonso secured another third-place podium after his brief break from the last Grand Prix. He out-qualified and outraced his younger teammate  Lance Stroll this Grand Prix. In a post-race interview with Formula 1, he said:

“It was a nice surprise. I was in a privileged position.”