Max fifth in Miami sprint: 'That part was good'

Published on 02 May 2026 by Misha van der Kroon

Max Verstappen finished fifth in the second sprint race of the season in Miami, having started from P5 on the grid. Lando Norris won the race for McLaren, ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri in P2. At the Miami International Autodrome, Charles Leclerc drove his Ferrari to P3. The Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell initially completed the top five. Shortly after the race, Antonelli received a five-second penalty for track limits, promoting Russell to P4 and Max to P5, while Antonelli dropped back to P6. Max’s Oracle Red Bull Racing teammate Isack Hadjar finished just outside the points in P9.

“We were at least racing the cars ahead of us again, so that was good,” Max said after the Miami sprint. “At the start we had the same issue as in China, that still wasn’t right. And coming out of the final corner on lap one I had no boost, so something went wrong there as well, and that’s why I lost that position to Lewis.”

Max continued: “After that I just drove my race and managed to close back in once I’d resolved the engine setting issues. From that point it looked alright, but I still have the problem with the rear of the car, where it bounces a lot. Especially in the slower corners, when the car bounces like that, the wheels lose contact with the ground and that costs lap time. It’s good that we’re fighting the Mercedes cars ahead again, because that’s what it’s all about. That part was good.”

Ahead of the sprint, it was confirmed that Alexander Albon starts from P18 instead of P14 due to exceeding track limits in SQ1. Both Aston Martin cars are allowed to take part despite not setting a lap within 107% of the fastest time in qualifying. Arvid Lindblad starts his RB from the pit lane, while Nico Hülkenberg does not start at all after his Audi engine fails on the way to the grid.

For the start of the 19-lap sprint, conditions are hot, with an ambient temperature of 31°C and track temperatures reaching 53°C, putting the tyres under heavy strain. The majority of the field starts on medium tyres, while both Cadillacs opt for the hard compound and both Aston Martins run the softs. Both Red Bulls start on used medium tyres.

When the lights go out, both McLarens make excellent starts, while Antonelli loses two positions in his Mercedes. Max finds himself battling Lewis Hamilton for sixth place, having initially lost a position to Russell. Moments later, Max also loses a place to Hamilton. Behind him are the two Alpines. Norris leads after the opening lap, ahead of Piastri and Leclerc.

After the opening phase, the top seven pull clear of the rest. “I can’t really brake because the rear is bouncing,” Max reports over the radio after a few laps. He later passes Hamilton for P6 but has to give the position back after going off track. Shortly after, he makes the move stick in Turn 17 to reclaim sixth place. However, the battle costs both drivers time, dropping them back from the Mercedes ahead.

At the front, Norris builds a lead of 2.5 seconds, leaving Piastri to focus on Leclerc, who is within one second of the second McLaren. Antonelli has a gap to teammate Russell but is under pressure due to having received his final warning for track limits.

In the closing stages, Max begins to close the gap to Russell, setting the fastest lap times on track, but the gap is too big to overcome. P6 seems to be what he needs to settle for. Up front, the order remains unchanged, with Norris taking victory ahead of Piastri and Leclerc.

Check the Max Verstappen Miami Collection, with T-shirts, hoodie, sweater, shorts, cap, bucket hat, drink bottle, mug, tote bag and scale models (1:2 and 1:4) of Max's special Miami helmet: https://store.verstappen.com

Results sprint race Miami: