For Max Verstappen, the Miami Grand Prix was a race of two very different sides. On one hand, there was relief and optimism thanks to a rejuvenated Red Bull RB22, which appeared to benefit from recent technical developments. On the other hand, there was the awareness that without his early mistake, something more than a fifth-place finish could have been within reach.
At the end of the race, the four-time World Champion spoke about both aspects, but ultimately allowed optimism to prevail after a weekend in which he once again had a car capable of making a difference in his hands.
Verstappen: “without the spin, the podium would have been possible, the win not”
Just over a month ago in Japan, Max Verstappen had appeared frustrated and less enthusiastic about the new era of Formula 1. However, recent adjustments introduced by the FIA, combined with the development package brought by Red Bull to Miami, delivered a much more competitive and energized Verstappen, once again able to extract performance from his car.
However, not everything went smoothly. At the start, he made a braking error into Turn 1 and later spun while attempting to overtake the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.
“Nothing would have changed for the win, I finished 40 seconds behind the leader and you don’t lose 40 seconds with a spin,” he explained after the race.
“Maybe we could have achieved a third place, but we put the Hard tyres on very early and it didn’t work. I was missing pace, the tyres were not working, and that’s why we dropped back a lot on that compound.”
Despite the incident, Verstappen did not appear overly disappointed. He reflected on the moment with a touch of humour:
“I lost the rear in Turn 2 and tried to limit the time lost by doing a 360°. I actually thought I was going to crash, but I floored the throttle and managed to complete the lap like that,” he said.
He even joked about it afterwards: “If Formula 1 doesn’t work out for me, I can always go rallying.”
Race analysis: “Hard stint too long, it compromised the end. Good to be back fighting”
After the early setback, the Dutch driver produced another of his well-known comeback drives. However, as he explained, the strategy choice ultimately affected his race pace in the final stages.
“With hindsight, that stint was simply too long. The tyres didn’t work as expected and that made it difficult to stay competitive,” he told the media.
“I think we were not that competitive on the Hard tyres. On the Mediums, I felt a bit better.”
Throughout the race, Verstappen was involved in multiple battles in the midfield and with frontrunners. One of the key moments included a tense fight with Mercedes driver George Russell.
“He touched my rear tyre at the exit of Turn 1 and it caused some front wing damage for him, but luckily I didn’t get a puncture. In the midfield it’s a bit of a jungle…” he commented.
Carlos Sainz also expressed frustration over team radio after what he considered an overly aggressive move during braking.
Optimism despite setbacks: “we are getting closer”
Despite the difficulties, optimism was the dominant tone in Verstappen’s post-race comments. The updated RB22 showed improved performance, allowing him to fight near the front and even come close to pole position on Saturday before battling with direct rivals on Sunday.
“Even though the Hard tyres didn’t work, at least I was able to fight more with the guys in front of me. That is positive,” he said.
“We have become more competitive. We are not yet where we want to be, but we are getting closer.”
Hours after the race, Verstappen also received a five-second penalty for crossing the white line at the pit lane exit. However, the sanction had no impact on his final classification, as a similar penalty for Charles Leclerc meant Verstappen retained fifth place at the chequered flag.
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