Formula 1 Star Max Verstappen Anticipates Tough Conditions in Miami Sprint Race

Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is bracing himself for a tough battle in the Miami Grand Prix sprint race, citing concerns over high temperatures and recurring understeer issues at low speeds.

Verstappen’s Strong Performance in Sprint Qualifying

In the sprint qualifying, Verstappen was the only driver to take two laps, improving on his second tour of the Miami International Autodrome to overtake George Russell. Despite this impressive performance, he was classified fourth, just a quarter of a second shy of Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s pole time in the session.

Verstappen also received a reprimand from the stewards for an apparent failure to follow race director’s instructions regarding minimum delta times.

Verstappen’s Expectations and Analysis

Despite these setbacks, Verstappen remained optimistic about his chances, acknowledging the challenges posed by high heat. He emphasized the need to make the best of the situation as circuit temperatures had reached 50C by the start of sprint qualifying, with similar conditions expected on Saturday.

An analysis of GPS data shows that Verstappen was tracking at over two tenths up on Antonelli’s final tour, but lost this advantage by the end of the run to Turn 11. He also struggled to maintain traction out of the slow-speed Turn 14-15-16 complex, losing further time.

Verstappen concluded that the Red Bull had been strong in the higher-speed sections but was being held back by low-speed understeer, which was affecting his overall competitiveness. He noted that the car’s handling was particularly poor in the low-speed corners, causing a significant loss of lap time.

Despite these issues, Verstappen was satisfied with his performance in Q3, praising the tyres for holding on well. He also acknowledged that Red Bull’s limitations needed to be taken into account.