Miami Grand Prix: The Hits and Misses according to the editorial team

The TOPS

The flawless rise of the unstoppable Max Verstappen

After the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Sergio Perez’s second victory of the season, many observers believed that there would be a competition between the two Red Bulls for the championship. Although it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions about the outcome of this season after only five races with eighteen more to go, this Miami Grand Prix has undoubtedly given a very clear indication of the hierarchy at the front of the pack. Starting ninth on the grid, Max Verstappen went on to claim victory after overtaking his opponents one by one, in the manner of a famous video game hero. In this fantastic comeback, he even managed to pull off a splendid double overtake on the cars of Charles Leclerc and Kevin Magnussen.

Author of a first stint on hard tires with a very lively pace, the Dutchman perfectly executed his strategy until changing to mediums for the end of the race and catching up with his teammate a few laps before the end. A masterclass from the double world champion, who is increasingly asserting himself as the favorite to defend his title. But who could still doubt it…

Fernando Alonso confirms his status as the best among the others.

Second on the grid, Fernando Alonso once again proved that he was the strong man of this early season, just behind the untouchable Red Bull cars. Ready to take advantage of any mistakes by the Austrian cars, the Spanish driver will be a force to reckon with if there are mechanical issues in Milton Keynes or if internal disputes arise within Christian Horner’s team. Regardless, Alonso once again outperformed the Mercedes and Ferrari cars, showing his ease on any circuit visited so far aboard an Aston Martin.

Describing his race as a solo one, far from the Red Bull cars and at a respectable distance from George Russell and Carlos Sainz’s single-seaters, the double world champion even had time to appreciate his competitors’ maneuvers on the circuit’s giant screens. This was also a way to show his serenity and regained confidence with his new team, with whom he plans to soon go after victories.

Mercedes maximizes the potential of the W14

Sixth and thirteenth in qualifying, the Mercedes could hope for a Top 5 finish for George Russell and one of the last positions in the Top 10 for Lewis Hamilton. The result of the black cars turned out to be a pleasant surprise for Toto Wolff’s team. Whether in pace or performance, the W14 displayed great potential during the race in Miami. Battling with Pierre Gasly’s Alpine at the beginning of the race and with Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari towards the end, the younger of the two Britons managed his tires perfectly to finish just a stone’s throw away from the podium.

For Hamilton, despite a race start where he had to overtake less competitive cars than his own, he found a renewed performance in his final stint to cross the finish line in sixth position and continue a discreet but consistent streak since Bahrain. A good sign for the future as Mercedes prepares significant developments for the next Grand Prix in Imola.

The FLOPS

The charade of the pre-race driver presentation

Formula 1 is becoming increasingly popular in the United States. The effect of Netflix continues to attract new fans to the sport, mostly young Americans. But should we alter and push it to the background as if the race is only a simple component of a show? The pre-race driver introduction led by rapper LL Cool J is enough to make one skeptical. In 2017, the new American owners of F1 already made an initial attempt at a spectacular presentation in Austin, but it had no follow-up until last weekend.

In Miami, several drivers have complained about the lack of concentration associated with this pre-race event. Besides having to greet the numerous celebrities present, the drivers had to put on a good show just minutes before the start, under the gaze of millions of people. Formula 1 is a magnificent sport that pits modern-day gladiators against each other on some of the most beautiful tracks on the planet. Why add irrelevant gimmicks that most of the main actors are not convinced by? The best conclusion comes from Williams driver Alex Albon, who described Formula 1 as show-business. A feeling that may well alienate purists from a sport in which they increasingly feel less connected…

The anonymous race of McLaren

Two eliminations in Q1 on Saturday and then 17th and 19th places on Sunday. This is the meager result of McLaren at the Miami Grand Prix. The expectations were high after impressive performances in Melbourne and Baku.

Unfortunately for the Oranges, the race was a long ordeal until the checkered flag. No matter what tires they used, the MCL60s weren’t fast enough to make an impact in the pack on this slippery and low-grip track. Lando Norris tried to create an illusion at the beginning of the race, but his efforts were hindered by the lack of performance from his car. As for Oscar Piastri, who was discovering the Floridian circuit, a problem with energy recovery brought an end to his hopes of a good result. McLaren now sees Alpine catching up to them in the constructors’ championship standings.

Lance Stroll’s forgettable weekend

Third place and a new podium for Fernando Alonso, twelfth place and no points for Lance Stroll. The comparison is painful for Lawrence’s son, who suffered throughout the race due to his poor qualifying performance from the previous day. Stuck in the pack and trapped by the DRS trains, the Canadian struggled to get his hard tires up to temperature.

Aston Martin’s second place in the championship is largely thanks to Fernando Alonso’s achievements. If the Silverstone team wants to compete for a podium position throughout the season, they will have to rely on both of their drivers. However, with over 70% of the team’s points to his name, Fernando Alonso is the one carrying Aston Martin on his shoulders at the moment. Stroll will need to quickly react if he also wants to get involved in the battles at the front of the pack.