Although it may not have seemed like it in the last two years, Max Verstappen is fallible, human and vulnerable. Yes, the insatiable three-time champion bit the dust, for the second time this year, defeated in Miami by Lando Norris’s McLaren.
At 24 years old, the Englishman, benefited by a safety car that caught Verstappen with the tires already changed, finally achieved his first victory in Formula 1 in his 110th Grand Prix. He has had to wait six years in the great circus: he is the 114th winner in history, the 106th who has taken the longest to taste victory. It is never late if happiness is good.
The exit could have been a bowling game in the hands of Checo Pérez. With the Mexican out of control coming out of the second row, he entered the first corner very far behind and almost took Verstappen and Carlos Sainz ahead.
The Madrid native had started very well from the third painting, momentarily placing second, but he had to avoid the second Red Bull. So Leclerc was able to maintain his second position, behind Verstappen, who escaped from the first corner, and with Piastri third, after sneaking past the Madrid native.
Behind, Alonso gained three positions in the first lap (from 15th to 12th), but had to give in to Gasly’s Alpine – with whom he collided – and move into 13th position with hard work.
The first to make a move by attacking was Piastri, who with better pace overtook Leclerc to take second (v. 4), although he had Verstappen far behind, 2 seconds behind. So Sainz fell behind his boxing partner, he stepped on her heels and claimed to Ferrari on the radio that he had better pace than the Monegasque.
Lewis Hamilton also advanced positions, gaining one place at the start from Russell and another from Hulkenberg to climb to 7th place, while Norris bit Pérez, showing that the Red Bull was not so strong on the urban layout of Miami. It could also be seen in the small margin that Verstappen had taken, only 3 seconds over Piastri after 15 laps, a quarter of the race.
The most aggressive on the track were the McLarens, with great speed. Norris achieved the best lap of the race twice (19 and 20) and looked for the overcut on Sainz.
Although the most surprising thing was Max Verstappen’s mistake on lap 22, in which he went straight through a chicane at turn 15 and hit a bollard. “It could have damaged the front wing,” he warned his team over the radio. The Dutchman’s trip caused damage to the pivot, which was scattered around the track, so a Virtual Safety-car was declared. The leader, curiously, did not push: in 23 laps he had only gained 3.5 seconds over his immediate pursuer, Piastri.
It was a bad sign for the Dutchman, who on lap 30 lost the lead due to a safety car caused by the accident between Magnussen and Sargeant, stamped on the fence. At that moment (v. 29), Norris had not yet stopped and was the provisional leader, so the departure of the safety car allowed the Englishman from McLaren a free stop. Verstappen looked second, ahead of Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz and Pérez. Alonso was 11th.
The race was resumed when the safety car left on lap 33. It was Norris’ turn to defend the first position from Verstappen’s harassment. The Englishman from McLaren closed the gaps with strength and maintained his lead. In a few laps he opened a gap, 2.2 seconds over the Dutchman, a safety distance to avoid DRS. And Max became desperate, seeing himself overwhelmed. “I can’t turn the car, it’s a disaster,” complained the three-time champion, who was biting the dust.
Meanwhile, Sainz had a tough time with Piastri to conquer fourth position (v. 40). The man from Madrid dived from very far and closed the McLaren, touching the wheel of the Ferrari with the Englishman’s spoiler.
At the front of the race, Norris only increased his advantage over Verstappen’s Red Bull. Seeing is believing. In 17 laps (from the safety car retracted) he had beaten the Englishman by 5.8 seconds over the Dutchman.
And, in turn, Checo Pérez, fifth, suffered harassment from Hamilton: the two Red Bulls were on the ropes.
