Max Verstappen signs a historic first, Charles Leclerc retains the championship lead

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The baptism of the Miami International Autodrome will not be remembered. With a parade of stars and an “American” show, the show was mostly confined to the paddock rather than the track. Max Verstappen will be content with that. The Dutchman won on Sunday May 8, easily controlling the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, second and third in this Grand Prix. It is the third success in five races for the reigning world champion this season. Charles Leclerc remains at the top of the drivers’ championship, however, with a still comfortable lead of 19 points over Max Verstappen.

This first Grand Prix in Miami history was quite disappointing. Only the first nine laps were thrilling, the time for Max Verstappen to take over the Ferraris who had monopolized the front row during qualifying. The Red Bull driver got rid of Carlos Sainz at the first corner by overtaking the Spaniard with authority. Then, he nibbled tenth by tenth a Charles Leclerc unable to flee. With the support of the DRS and without discussion, Verstappen took control, not to be seen again for a long time.

Without any real adventure for 41 laps, the race almost turned into a Sunday siesta on the turnstile around the Hard Rock Stadium of the Miami Dolphins. It took the hypothesis of a few drops of rain, then above all a crash between a Pierre Gasly in distress and Lando Norris, forced to retire, to wake up the VIP floor.

But even this first accident, on a route between narrow walls which could augur many interruptions, was not enough to reshuffle the cards. Max Verstappen held on, despite a final push from Charles Leclerc who had been put back into the exhausts of his vis-à-vis by the safety car. In the game of the battle of nerves, “Super Max” has already proven in 2021 that he is not one to give in. And unlike the Monegasque who made a mistake at Imola, paving the way for the Dutchman, the reigning world champion did not make the slightest mistake.

Behind, the two lieutenants Carlos Sainz and Sergio Pérez fought a short but intense battle, of which Sainz remained the winner. For their part, the Mercedes confirmed their little recovery in form with 5th and 6th places in George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. And Russell, who started 12th, put in another solid performance, maintaining his rubber well before overtaking his teammate at the end of the race. The Alpines went to the end of the race this time, and both finished in the points: Esteban Ocon, who started last, finished 8th just ahead of Fernando Alonso, also helped by the mayhem at the end of the race with Mick Schumacher (Haas ) and Sebastian Vettel (Racing Point).

Formula 1 will once again cross the Atlantic Ocean – despite all good environmental sense – to now continue with the Grand Prix of Spain and that of Monaco.


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