Max Verstappen of Red Bull is poised to secure his third consecutive victory at the Miami Grand Prix, although his pursuit is unfolding against a backdrop of turmoil at Red Bull stemming from the imminent departure of star designer Adrian Newey.
For the second consecutive weekend, the sixth round of the season will follow the sprint format, featuring only one practice session and a 100km race on Saturday before the qualifying session for the main event.
Verstappen clinched victory in the initial sprint in China last month and heads to Florida with an impressive track record, boasting four wins out of five races and a comfortable 25-point lead over his teammate Sergio Perez.
The 26-year-old Dutch driver triumphed in the inaugural race at the Hard Rock Stadium in 2022, repeating his success from last May despite starting from ninth position.
This victory dealt a significant blow to Perez, who had begun from pole position with hopes of seizing the overall lead but ultimately settled for second place.
Reflecting on his prospects for the upcoming race, Verstappen remarked, “It should normally be a good race for us.
“It’s normally a little bit more straightforward with the strategy, but it’s always quite a difficult track, you know, so I’m excited. It’s always quite a crazy weekend there, so it’s going to be quite a busy one.”
Verstappen’s dominance extends beyond his recent successes in Miami. He has secured pole position in all five races this season, a remarkable achievement unmatched by any other driver in the current century. The last driver to achieve such a feat was the legendary Alain Prost with Williams in 1993.
Despite Verstappen’s on-track prowess, Red Bull faces significant off-track challenges, notably the impending departure of Adrian Newey, the esteemed designer with numerous championship titles to his name.
Red Bull confirmed on Wednesday that the 65-year-old Newey will be departing next year, stepping back from Formula One design responsibilities but remaining involved in specific races until the end of the current season.
While McLaren, with Lando Norris finishing second in China, and Ferrari are expected to vie for prominence behind the leading pack in Miami, Mercedes is set to introduce a substantial upgrade for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
James Allison, Mercedes’ technical director, emphasized the need for adaptation, stating, “Our challenge will be to make sure we don’t try and replay China at a Miami that is a very, very different beast and wants different things from the car than China will.”
Seven-time world champion Hamilton experienced a mixed performance in the sprint, securing second place but enduring a disappointing 18th-place qualifying result for the main race, ultimately finishing ninth.
Meanwhile, Logan Sargeant of Williams is the sole local driver in the race, with his team still in pursuit of their first point of the campaign. Additionally, both Renault-owned Alpine and Swiss-based Sauber have yet to score any points this season.
