Max Verstappen used an easy drive to keep Red Bull undefeated on the season, as the reigning two-time Formula One champion drove from ninth to victory at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull has won all five races so far this season, and teammate Sergio Perez's second-place finish in Miami was the fourth 1-2 finish for Red Bull this year. Verstappen has three wins this season, while Perez, the pole-sitter in Miami, has two.
The win was the 38th of his career for Verstappen, who tied Sebastian Vettel for most victories for Red Bull. At this pace, he'll smash Vettel's record by the end of what many critics are already complaining is a boring Red Bull-dominated season.
Verstappen's win ties him with Sebastian Vettel for most victories for Red Bull, with 38 career wins.
At this pace, he is set to break Vettel's record by the end of the season, despite critics complaining that the season is becoming boring due to Red Bull's dominance.
Verstappen praised his team's performance, calling it "simply lovely" on his radio after the race. Red Bull boss Christian Horner also commended Verstappen's poise during the 57-lap race, particularly during the middle stint when he impressively used the hard tire.
Red Bull has stated that it will allow Verstappen and Perez to race cleanly for the championship, and Perez seemed poised to take the points lead in Miami after starting from pole position.
However, Verstappen had no problem driving through the field, going from ninth to sixth in the first four laps and eventually taking the lead from Perez in a wheel-to-wheel battle with nine laps remaining.
Perez finished second, 5.3 seconds behind Verstappen, while Fernando Alonso secured third place for Aston Martin. George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes, followed by Carlos Sainz Jr. of Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, who drove from 13th to sixth.
The sold-out crowd of 90,766 included high-profile celebrities such as Jeff Bezos, Tom Cruise, Elon Musk, Serena and Venus Williams, and Roger Federer. LL Cool J handled driver introductions, and the drivers walked out to a new song by William called "The Formula," which was performed by a symphony.
In conclusion, Verstappen's victory at the Miami Grand Prix has solidified Red Bull’s dominance this season, with the team winning all five races so far.
Verstappen's impressive performance has tied him with Sebastian Vettel for most victories for Red Bull, and he is set to break the record by the end of the season.
Despite criticism that the season is becoming boring due to Red Bull's dominance, the sold-out crowd of 90,766 included high-profile celebrities, and the drivers walked out to a new song by William called "The Formula," performed by a symphony.
In Race
Verstappen took the lead when Perez pitted on Lap 20 and he held nearly an 18-second lead with 15 laps remaining. When he finally made his pit stop, Verstappen returned to the track in second but only 1.6 seconds behind Perez.
It took him just minutes to pass Perez for the win, taking the lead in a wheel-to-wheel battle with nine laps remaining. Although Verstappen has won from a lower starting position before, he becomes the first driver since Niki Lauda in 1984 at the French Grand Prix to win from ninth.
The victory also came on the anniversary of the 2016 announcement that Verstappen was being promoted from the junior team to Red Bull ahead of the fifth round of that season.
Verstappen now holds a 14-point lead over Perez in the standings. Perez finished second, a full 5.3 seconds behind Verstappen.
Fernando Alonso was third for Aston Martin but finished 26 seconds behind. It was the fourth podium in five races for the resurgent Spaniard.
George Russell was fourth for Mercedes, followed by Carlos Sainz Jr. of Ferrari, and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, who drove from 13th to sixth. Leclerc was seventh, and Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon were eighth and ninth.
Kevin Magnussen, a driver for American team Haas, finished 10th to score a point for just the second time this season. Haas has used the Miami race to spotlight all its American sponsors, including Chipotle, which promised 10,000 free burritos if a Haas driver scored a point Sunday.
Logan Sargeant, the first American driver on the grid since 2015, finished last in his home race. Sargeant was born and raised less than 20 miles away from the circuit in Fort Lauderdale. He started last.
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