Max Verstappen triumphed in the Miami sprint race, a victory that was not unperturbed, as a dispute broke out between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso due to a collision experienced at the very first corner. Despite the safety car’s intervention in the initial lap due to the clash between Hamilton and Alonso, Verstappen successfully manoeuvred the 19-lap course to secure an unquestionable win.
Charles Leclerc claimed the second position for Ferrari as Red Bull’s Sergio Perez acquired third place. Daniel Ricciardo of RB began and accomplished an impressive fourth position, despite Hamilton originally taking the eighth position after a thrilling struggle with Kevin Magnussen.
Hamilton did, however, pay the price for exceeding the speed limit in the pit lane, resulting in a drop to a disappointing 16th position.
Starting off in the pole position, Verstappen was capable of fending off Leclerc during the brief characteristic trek down to the inaugural bend at the Hard Rock Stadium, which set the stage for his victorious run and helped to increase his championship lead over Perez from 25 points to 27.
While Verstappen took the lead, the drama centred around Hamilton. The seven-time world champion, commencing in 12th, made an impressive start in his Mercedes. Hamilton took his machine down the inside, jostling Alonso’s Aston Martin, unexpectedly positioned four spots ahead on the grid. This led to Alonso crashing into fellow team member Lance Stroll.
Lando Norris, who was on the corner’s outer side, was hit by Stroll, who had lost control after the collision with Alonso. Norris and Stroll were both forced to retire due to damages, while Alonso had to pit with a punctured tire.
Using the radio, Alonso voiced his sentiment, comparing Hamilton’s unanticipated appearance to that of a “bull.” Meanwhile, Hamilton defended himself over the radio, highlighting the gap that prompted his controversial move.
Despite the heated first-corner incident, the stewards decided not to intervene further and allowed Hamilton to keep his ninth position. Following the safety car’s exit, Verstappen successfully resumed the lead in the fourth lap. Attention then reverted back to Hamilton as he attempted to overtake Magnussen’s Haas. The Dane, however, used his entire machinery and more to prevent Hamilton from passing, causing quite the showdown.
The race officials did not appreciate Magnussen’s forceful defence and imposed a 10-second penalty on him, yet the tussle persisted. “He just rammed into me,” Hamilton exclaimed, accusing Magnussen on the 15th lap of forcing him off the circuit at the chicane, subsequently allowing RB’s Yuki Tsunoda to advance.
On the subsequent lap, Tsunoda and Hamilton managed to overtake Magnussen, with Hamilton then successfully passing the Japanese contender, appearing to secure him the final point. Unfortunately, though, Hamilton, the Mercedes driver, was penalised for exceeding speed limits in the pit lane during safety car directives, which saw him slide significantly down the rankings. Hamilton’s team colleague, George Russell, concluded the race in 12th position.