Miami Grand Prix Recap: Verstappen’s Bold Comeback and the Imola Roadmap

“I’ve complicated my own life and I’m the one who needs to figure it out,” he said on Saturday. Verstappen, furious after his mistake in Q3, showed once more that champions refuse to quit. He delivered a spectacular Miami Grand Prix performance, securing a glorious victory in the fifth race of the season. The Dutch driver climbed from ninth to first, earning his third win of the year ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez, who left with a 14‑point lead in the championship, and Fernando Alonso who completed the podium.

Aston Martin’s Asturian driver, who had fallen off the podium in Baku, regained form and stood tall among the frontrunners after a stretch of tough luck for Red Bull. Carlos Sainz, after being overtaken by Russell who incurred a five‑second penalty at the pit stop, slipped to fifth. Leclerc’s seventh place also dampened Ferrari’s mood as the season progresses.

More leaders than ever #MiamiDAZNF1 pic.twitter.com/bo3Ltpm2Xm

— DAZN Spain @DAZN_ES

clue unknown

The Miami classification surprised many with its final order. A Leclerc crash in Q3 altered the grid, allowing Sergio Pérez to take pole and Fernando Alonso to start second for the second time this season. Carlos Sainz began third, and Verstappen found himself back in the race from ninth after a rough weekend.

Heavy rain on Saturday night transformed the track at the Hard Rock Stadium, turning it slick and challenging. The cold tyres and reduced grip added uncertainty about tyre degradation, a potential deciding factor at the start, though it didn’t completely unfold as expected.

Alonso, on a grid disadvantaged by the dirtier part of the track, benefited from mixed conditions hours before the start. The Asturian driver came out ahead of Checo and briefly overtook Carlos, but he could not sustain the attack on the Mexican who distanced himself as the race unfolded.

Max, attack

Verstappen chose a bold strategy with hard tyres and drove aggressively. In just four laps, he used Red Bull’s pace to clear past Magnussen and Leclerc. Ahead of him, Russell remained a stubborn challenger as Verstappen began to close in at the start of the race.

Classification of the World Championship can be checked for context.

After dealing with vibration issues over the weekend, Mercedes yielded to Verstappen, who briefly passed Gasly and appeared in Sainz’s mirrors ten laps later. A mistake by Verstappen in Q3 had created pressure, but he adapted quickly as pace shifted and Pérez tried to close the gap with a pace change.

Sainz suspended

Sainz and Alonso appeared as easy prey for the Red Bull challenger. The Spaniard’s comeback featured an overtake on Fernando fifteen laps later, leaving him within four seconds of Pérez, who began to show signs of tyre wear. Ferrari attempted an undercut on Alonso with a rapid pit stop for Sainz, but Aston Martin did not respond immediately, and the Spaniard rejoined in heavy traffic. A five‑second penalty for speeding in the pit lane added another complication for Sainz. Pérez hit his mark on lap 21 and Verstappen seized the lead, with Alonso holding third ahead of Sainz due to the penalty. Leclerc remained out of rhythm and slipped down the order throughout the race.

Sainz then delivered an impressive undercut on Alonso, a moment captured by the race’s fans and media.

Verstappen did much of his work with difficult starts and set the fastest lap on lap 42 with a tight window before making his one stop. Russell launched a bold challenge on Sainz in pursuit of Alonso, leaving the Brit with little choice but to push hard.

Checo regained the lead after Max’s stop, signaling a late race path toward a third win for the season. Red Bull commanded the final stretch as Alonso crossed in third, Russell moved Sainz to fifth, and Leclerc finished seventh, a result Ferrari did not anticipate after their strong showing in Baku.

Improvements in Imola

In Miami, Ferrari led with innovations and appeared to gain the most from development work. Mercedes and Aston Martin are preparing major upgrades for the first European swing, turning the run of three races on European soil into a sprint for the teams after the summer break: Imola (May 21), Monaco (May 28), and Barcelona (June 4).

After a surprising podium in Bahrain, Alonso’s squad has hinted at finishing the season with a car very different from the one that started the World Cup. Two‑thirds of the final car will change, marking a significant shift in development. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is expected to feature the first major update. Aston Martin ranked seventh among manufacturers last year, with substantial wind tunnel and computational gains relative to Red Bull; Ferrari and Mercedes are also in the mix with notable improvements. The coming races will reveal how close the gap can be among the leading teams.

Source: DAZN España