However, the main race was a saving grace, with some impressive overtakes executed and, of course, Lando Norris’ first victory.
The latest installment of the Adrian Newey saga confirmed his split from Red Bull Racing. However, the storyline has generated so much buzz that he now finds himself in need of bodyguards.
A confused Newey was spotted navigating through the Miami GP Paddock accompanied by five of them. Presumably, they are there to shield him from unwanted attention from disappointed “Red Bullers” and potential suitors from the Tifosi.
However, we will have to wait for the next episode to see who he will be teaming up with in the future… or if, as the current antagonist Christian Horner hinted, he will be leaving the series altogether.
The Miami International Autodrome may be constructed on a parking lot, but it presents a significant challenge for the drivers. This is the third race at this venue, and it is evident that none of them have fully mastered it, not even Max Verstappen. Blaming the variable grip has become a popular excuse.
Yes, the track is slippery, but it affects everyone equally, so it does not justify the erratic performances. Therefore, we should express our appreciation to the circuit’s designer, Clive Bowen, for creating a track that guards its secrets tightly! For the drivers, it is frustrating when attempting to piece together a perfect lap during qualifying. However, for the spectators, the ups and downs of qualifying have made it all the more captivating.
Daniel Ricciardo serves as a prime example. It was delightful to see the beloved underdog make a comeback during the Miami GP weekend.
After being absent for some time, he pulled off an impressive performance in qualifying, securing a spot on the second row for the Sprint race with the Visa Racing Cash Satsuma. To add to the excitement, he maintained that position during the Sprint race and even posed a threat to the podium at one point.
However, things returned to normal as he failed to advance from Q1 for the main event. The only silver lining was that his three-place grid penalty was reduced to one. Unfortunately, this was due to the absence of the twenty-first and twenty-second slots on the F1 grid.
The general consensus regarding the cause of performance discrepancies has been attributed to the tires and the cars.
However, I believe the drivers themselves and their approach to two crucial corners, specifically Turns 11 and 17, are to blame.
All the drivers were attempting to push the limits when entering these corners, a strategy that usually pays off but not in this case. Turn 11 leads them into a tight and twisty section, where maintaining momentum and a favorable track position is crucial. This is especially important if they want to maximize their exit speed out of T16!
If you make a mistake on turn 11, you will ruin that whole section and put excessive strain on your tires while trying to fix it! The same applies to turn 17. It is better to control the technique of late braking on entry and hit the apex and exit perfectly, as this allows the driver to maximize their speed on turn 18 and the subsequent straight.
The fact that almost everyone went slower on their final qualifying session push lap confirms this theory.
I believe that most drivers achieved their best times when they were not pushing their limits to the fullest. In Q2, Lewis Hamilton managed to get within four-tenths of Max Verstappen’s pole time instead of nearly one second in Q3. I also suspect that Lando Norris performed better on medium tires compared to soft tires because they were more resistant to aggressive driving.
With the Miami Grand Prix behind us, we still have more than a week until the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, where we might find out that Max was not actually defeated in Miami and that Zak Brown has big aspirations. It is possible that Logan Sargeant and Lance Stroll truly have the skills to remain in the Formula 1 grid. The rumor about Adrian Newey leaving Red Bull was likely spread by Toto Wolff. I am eagerly anticipating the upcoming race!