The Miami Grand Prix delivered excitement and drama in almost every phase of the race. Among the most thrilling moments was the start, which immediately produced intense battles for the lead, with Max Verstappen playing a starring role in the opening seconds of the fourth round of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
As soon as the lights went out, the Dutch driver attempted to hold the lead into Turn 1, but after being overtaken by Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, he spun at the change of direction in Turn 2. Almost miraculously, he managed to avoid contact, escaping unscathed despite having 21 cars behind him.
A fighting recovery
From that moment on, determined not to be swallowed by the pack, the Red Bull driver raised his level of aggression, executing a series of very forceful moves against midfield drivers in order to defend his position and immediately launch a determined comeback.
The first drivers to deal with the “fury” of the four-time world champion were Liam Lawson and Carlos Sainz. The Spanish driver, after making a bold move under braking into Turn 17, strongly criticised Verstappen’s approach, claiming that the Dutchman’s actions risked pushing him into the wall and created dangerous situations for those fighting in the midfield.
Sainz hits out
The former Ferrari driver admitted that Max had “pushed me off. He thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he’s racing in the midfield.”
Despite the complaints from his rivals, Verstappen continued with his aggressive approach, managing to get the better of both Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon, who had tried to take advantage of their battle to move up into eighth position.
At that point, the Red Bull driver made a pit stop during the Safety Car triggered by the incidents involving Hadjar and Gasly, gambling on strategy in a race that had risked being compromised. Thanks to his determination and skill, the driver from Hasselt managed to recover and finish in fifth place.
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