P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The Red Bull driver finished second in Miami, having survived an incident with team-mate Sergio Perez at the start.
Max Verstappen claimed that his Formula 1 teammate Sergio Perez caused minor damage to his Red Bull at the beginning of the Miami Grand Prix, with Perez hitting the rear of Verstappen’s car at Turn 1. Despite starting from pole position, Verstappen faced balance issues during the race, including minor wing and floor damage from hitting a bollard at Turn 15 that triggered a virtual safety car on Lap 28.
Verstappen was poised to retake the lead after pit stops, but Lando Norris managed to pit under a full safety car period and clinch his first F1 victory, winning the race by 7.6 seconds. Verstappen acknowledged the near-miss with Perez, noting a scratch on his diffuser but expressing relief that nothing serious occurred.
Following the safety car restart, Verstappen couldn’t keep up with Norris and finished in second place for the first time since the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Verstappen acknowledged that McLaren was faster and that without the safety car, it would have been a close battle to the end. Verstappen concluded by stating it wasn’t their day but emphasized the need for improvement.
