MOTORSPORT: Red Bull dominates Miami Formula 1 GP

Max Verstappen has proven to be unbeatable at the Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix for the second year in a row, leading home Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez as the duo look destined to duke out the 2023 Formula 1 driver’s title.

The two Red Bull drivers were in a class of their own, claiming their fourth one-two result from the opening five races of the season.

“It was a good race, I mean, I stayed out of trouble at the beginning, and then I picked the cars off one by one, and then I could stay out on the hard tyres, I think that made the difference,” said Verstappen.

“It was then a good little battle with Checo [Perez] at the end, and we kept it clean, and that’s what’s most important.

“It was a great win today.”

Perez won the race into the first turn from pole position as Lando Norris (McLaren) was pushed wide by Nyck De Vries (AlphaTauri).

From ninth on the grid, Verstappen moved into fifth on lap eight of 57, and into fourth a lap later, making it past George Russell (Mercedes-AMG) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine).

Next up for the Dutchman was Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) for third on lap 14, and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) for second on the next circuit.

With his teammate closing, Perez pitted from the lead on lap 20 to swap away from the medium compound tyres, while Sainz was pinged five seconds for speeding in the pits after locking up on the entry road.

The fully resurfaced track provided more competitive racing for the second Formula 1 Grand Prix at the temporary venue, with the race highlighted by several solid battles.

After running strongly at the front, Verstappen finally pitted on lap 45 for his set of medium tyres, which saw him emerge 1.5sec behind his teammate.

However, the two-times champion wasted little time, moving into the lead at the start of lap 48 following a spirited defence from the Mexican.

Picking up the fastest lap of the race, Verstappen extended a 5sec gap to Perez in the run home, with Alonso claiming his fourth podium finish of the season in third.

Russell held on for fourth from Sainz, then Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-AMG), who worked his way through the pack after a tardy start, then Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), who rebounded from near identical crashes on both Friday and Saturday, with the qualifying shunt ultimately mixing up the final starting grid.

Rounding out the points finishers were the Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, in a return to form for the squad, with Kevin Magnussen finishing 10th from fourth on the grid, which was a best-ever qualifying result from the Haas team.

Australia’s Oscar Piastri (McLaren) started 19th and made up several places at the start on the soft compound tyre, but battled for much of the race with a braking issue, eventually being classified in 19th.

The race was a rarity in being retirement-free.

Next up on the Formula 1 schedule is Imola from May 19-21.

2023 Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix results:

2023 Formula 1 championship standings:

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