Miami Grand Prix: Highlights of the first edition
The Miami Grand Prix is returning this year for its second edition, providing an opportunity to look back at the events that marked the very first race last year.
Celebrities… And a fake canal for yachts
It’s not a race fact, but it stirred up a lot of controversy during the very first edition of the Miami Grand Prix, even before it started. Despite all the national celebrities and the extravagance inherent to Miami, the circuit still managed to surprise us by offering the (very) wealthy spectators the option to watch (or not) the race from the “yacht club” … which sails on a watery patterned carpet. Anything is possible in Miami, where apparently ridiculousness doesn’t kill.
A red flag for each practice session
The weekend in Miami started off quite poorly for several drivers last year. We had three red flags during the practice sessions, one for each session. The first one was Valtteri Bottas’ fault, as he hit the wall at turn 7. For the other two free practice sessions, it was Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon who caused the red flag, each hitting the barrier at turn 14. A place to keep an eye on this weekend.
A first line 100% Ferrari
The 2022 Miami Grand Prix was a good vintage for Ferrari during the qualifying session. Charles Leclerc set the fastest time, clocking in at 1:28.796, securing the first pole position on this circuit. He was closely followed by his teammate Carlos Sainz, bringing smiles to the entire Ferrari garage. Behind them, we saw a Red Bull second row, led by Max Verstappen, despite an error on his final lap in Q3, attributed to his “lack of familiarity with the car on this track,” in the words of the Dutchman.
A safety car that succeeds with Verstappen
However, on Sunday, it was Max Verstappen who was the happy winner of this first race in Miami. The Red Bull driver can thank a safety car triggered by a crash between Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly in lap 41, not far from the race’s conclusion.
During the restart, the Dutchman didn’t hesitate for a second and took the lead over his predecessor, Charles Leclerc, who eventually finished second, ahead of Carlos Sainz.
The biggest unlucky person of the day was however Fernando Alonso, who received not one, but two 5-second penalties, imposed after the end of the race, one for contact with Gasly, the other for leaving the track and gaining an advantage in his penultimate lap. The Spaniard thus dropped from 9th to 11th place, much to the delight of Alex Albon who takes his position, and Lance Stroll, who enters the points. Even before being teammates, the mutual assistance between the two drivers seemed almost present…
