Purple Bull driver Max Verstappen is bracing for a troublesome Miami Grand Prix regardless of defeating his McLaren Method 1 rival Lando Norris to pole place.
Verstappen took his third pole of the season on the Miami Worldwide Autodrome on Saturday, defeating Norris by 0.065s and Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli by 0.067s in an exhilarating qualifying session – with the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri in fourth.
Beforehand, Verstappen expertly used his monitor place at Suzuka to transform a pole right into a hard-fought win, whereas in Saudi Arabia he was penalised for leaving the monitor at Turns 1-2 to maintain Piastri behind, which doubtless ended up costing him one other pole to flag win.
Miami’s 57-lap race is anticipated to be one other one-stop contest which limits strategic choices, however with a robust DRS zone on the again straight, overtaking shouldn’t be unattainable both.
Nevertheless, Verstappen felt Saturday’s wet-to-dry dash race confirmed McLaren’s superior tyre administration will nonetheless be an essential issue, with each Piastri and Norris driving away from the world champion on the intermediates because the monitor dried up, harking back to an analogous state of affairs within the Melbourne season-opener.
“I believe that general they’re higher within the race,” Verstappen instructed Dutch media together with Motorsport.com. “You noticed that on intermediates within the rain as properly. As quickly as these tyres begin to overheat, they’ve an enormous benefit. So, then we’re all doing one thing incorrect with the tyres, aside from McLaren.
Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
“What I noticed immediately within the rain was not so nice, McLaren was stronger there as properly. I believe general they’re only a bit higher now, so then it is at all times going to be a troublesome race. However at the least we’re in entrance on the grid and hopefully we are able to make it troublesome for them.”
Verstappen additionally indicated working the next mileage Honda engine is not going to assist him defend his lead on the straights, admitting it “does fairly make a distinction this weekend”.
But at the least Purple Bull’s revised flooring, which solely Verstappen trialled this weekend, seems to have supplied the online downforce enhance the workforce had been anticipating. However, he felt the true profit will not grow to be clear till later within the season as a consequence of Miami’s awkward nook profiles.
“On this monitor it is at all times very troublesome to essentially decide one thing, as a result of every little thing feels very bizarre right here – each by way of grip and likewise the corners are all very bizarre as properly. I believe we’ll know extra once we go to Imola,” the four-time world champion defined, with Imola being the following cease on the calendar.
“We modified some small issues going into qualifying and the automobile was turning a bit higher. That is constructive, however clearly that is nonetheless not what we wish or the place we wish to be. However it was truly higher than anticipated.
“Earlier than coming right here to Miami, we thought this is able to be a difficult one with the slow-speed corners and kerbstones that you must assault. That is usually not our strongest level.”
Pictures from Miami GP – Dash & Qualifying
On this article
Filip Cleeren
Method 1
Max Verstappen
Purple Bull Racing
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