Max Verstappen’s latest jab at F1 as Miami GP unveils bold new feature | F1 | Sport
If Formula 1 chiefs hoped their rule tweaks in recent weeks would stop Max Verstappen bad-mouthing the sport at every opportunity, they’ve already been told they were wrong. “It’s not what we need,” was the Dutchman’s verdict in Miami when asked for his take on the energy deployment changes that have been agreed.
And he also agreed with rival and defending champion Lando Norris, who told us: “It’s tough to go much further,” without making wholesale changes. That’s what Max is really pushing for and there are noises that potentially larger rule tweaks are being considered for as soon as the 2027 season.
Is that because of the threat of F1 losing its most successful star of this decade? It’s hard to say. But what is certain is that there’s no way F1 chief Stefano Domenicali believes even himself when he insists, as he did again this week, that Verstappen is going nowhere.
It’s a strange hill for him to die on, considering he has no sway on that decision beyond promising all the changes he can to appease the four-time world champion. And even then, given Verstappen has achieved everything he wants to in F1, he could still decide his time is up.
“I still have time, and I’m taking my time,” was his update in Miami. Specifically, it’s believed he doesn’t have to tell Red Bull he’s leaving until October, if that’s the move he decides to make. And if he does, then Domenicali will be left with egg on his face that he cooked himself.
There’s an eye-catching new feature to the Miami International Autodrome this year: A brand new hospitality space shaped like a cruise ship! Miami is known as one of the cruising capitals of the world thanks to its proximity to the Carribbean and MSC Cruises, who sponsor both F1 itself and also the Alpine team, and who sail from Miami Port, have committed to putting on this hospitality offering over the next few years.
It’s inspired by the MSC Yacht Club on board their real-life ships and has transformed the look of the ‘marina’ section of the circuit. It will offer a great vantage point for turns five through nine of the circuit and I’m looking forward to checking it out for myself this weekend!
Fast fact
No driver has ever won the Miami Grand Prix from the front row of the grid, making this statistically the worst F1 race to start on pole.
Inside track
They’ve had weeks to work on things, but Aston Martin are going to still be a disaster in Miami this weekend with engine suppliers Honda briefing that they haven’t made any performance leaps since the last race at Suzuka. And they showed it with a sorry display in Sprint qualifying which saw them 21st and 22nd on the timing sheets and having to ask the stewards for permission to race, having failed to meet F1’s 107 percent rule.
