It was unexpected for Verstappen to be on the top step of the podium in Miami, given Sergio Perez started from pole position and was going for back-to-back victories. Verstappen started from ninth place.
Nevertheless, despite having to veer off course to undertake certain manoeuvres, Verstappen avoided problems by eliminating cars one by one. By lap 16, he had moved up to second place and had impressively caught up to Perez’s lap times, because Verstappen had started the race on used tyres while the Mexican had pitted for fresh ones.
At the conclusion of Lap 45, Verstappen pitted and finished just a few seconds behind his Red Bull teammate. He took the lead at the end of Turn 1 two circuits later and secured a
Verstappen has won every race since the Miami Grand Prix on May 7 and is set to join only Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton as drivers who have won a hat-trick of championships.
This was a race Verstappen could have lost and we have to first talk about Qualifying. Fernando Alonso was on provisional pole after his second Q3 effort and Verstappen found himself two tenths down on the Aston Martin driver after two sectors.
Knowing he had time to make up, Verstappen simply went for it and brushed the barriers at the Swimming Pool Chicane and the final corner to snatch pole by 0.084s.
In the race, it was looking like a simple win until rain came in the middle of the race. Several drivers went off and Verstappen had a moment himself when he nudged the wall at Portier but got away with it.
Alonso, in second, had an opportunity to take advantage of the wet weather if Aston Martin got their strategy spot on, but they lost their chance when pitting twice in two laps for new slicks and new intermediates.
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