A start to the Grand Prix that kept everyone in suspense. TO Miami Max Verstappen he started from pole, but his teammate Sergio Perezwho started from fourth place on the grid, suffered little grip and literally slipped, risking a real “strike” which could have also involved the Dutchman from behind.
Reflecting on the near-crash, Verstappen felt he had suffered some minor damage to his car.
“It was very close and it could have gone wrong”said Verstappen a Viaplay. “I think I had a scratch on my diffuser and he braked 50 meters later than everyone else, but luckily nothing happened.”
After the safety car restart, Verstappen was unable to keep up with Norrisfinishing second for the first time since the Grand Prix of Formula 1 of Azerbaijan of the 2023and had foreseen that the battle with the McLaren it would have been tight.
“Without the safety car it would have been a fight to the end, and I think it was by seven or eight seconds, so we would have been ahead of him,” he added. “But they were faster, so we have work to do. It wasn’t our day, but it can happen.“