Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen has opened up about his tricky start and spin, the strategy to pit rather early, his overtake on Charles Leclerc at the finish line, whether his driving was too aggressive during the race, and Red Bull’s overall improvements following his fifth-place finish at the 2026 Miami GP on Sunday.
With Red Bull bringing a substantial upgrade package with seven updated elements, the fruits of their labour were noticeable across the race weekend at the Miami International Autodrome. Despite missing out on pole by 0.166 seconds, Verstappen held onto the front row with a solid lap in the Grand Prix qualifying session on Saturday.
When the five red lights went out the next day, Verstappen, polesitter Kimi Antonelli, and Leclerc went three-wide before both the Mercedes and Red Bull cars locked up into the first corner. Experiencing a dramatic spin, the Dutchman dropped down the order.
As the FIA deployed the Safety Car to clear the damaged cars of Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly, Verstappen opted to box under the Safety Car on Lap 6 for the hard tyres. Rejoining the track in P16, he gradually climbed his way back through the field and even led the race for a couple of corners on Lap 29.
However, the early pit stop meant that Verstappen’s tyre performance dropped off in the latter half of the race, resulting in him losing places to Leclerc and Oscar Piastri.
Following a feisty scrap with George Russell in the last couple of laps, the 28-year-old took a bonus position at the finish line as Leclerc slowed to a crawl after spinning and tapping the wall.
Although Verstappen received a five-second penalty post-race for crossing the line at the pit exit, the gap behind meant he retained fifth place.
Verstappen on his start, pace, and strategy during the 2026 Miami GP
Speaking in a print media session after the F1 race, Max Verstappen shed more light on what had caused him to lock up and spin around 360 degrees on the opening lap of the 2026 Miami GP.
“Yeah, quite hectic. I lost the rear into turn 2, and of course I tried to minimise the time loss by doing a 360. I thought I was going to crash but then I floored it. So, then I managed do a good 360.”
Granted that he was close to contact with Leclerc on the inside of Turn 2, Verstappen maintained that his proximity to the Ferrari driver was not a factor behind his spin.
“No, I don’t think so. We just pushed, of course, into the corner, and I just lost something, the rear just started to slide, and once it goes, you know, with heavy fuel, it’s hard to catch.”
Quipping about how rallying would make a good alternative career, the four-time world champion also revealed that his RB22 felt better on the medium compound than on the hard. Furthermore, he addressed their strategy call and conceded that his 51-lap stint on the hard tyres was far too long to maintain a steady pace.
“If F1 doesn’t work out, I can always go rallying. Yeah, after that, I think the pace was not too bad on the medium, but as soon as I swung to the hard compound, it was just a lot more difficult.
“I think now, after the race, it’s easy to say, of course, but I think that stint was just a bit too long.”
How Verstappen overtook Leclerc at the line
With regard to how he had managed to pip Leclerc to fifth by just under three-tenths at the finish line, Verstappen noted the damage the Monégasque’s SF-26 had sustained on the final lap of the 2026 Miami GP.
Nevertheless, reckoning that the Ferrari driver, just like him, had fully dumped his battery at the end, the 71-time F1 race winner admitted that he had no explanation for how he took the chequered flag in P5.
“Yeah, I mean, I didn’t charge the car. It [the SF-26] was broken; so, he [Leclerc] was just bringing it to the end, right? I think he was using all the battery, like we all did. But for whatever reason, I could just get him before the line.”
If his moves were too aggressive
Asked if his frustrations had taken charge of the wheel as he battled Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz and made his way through the pack in Sunday’s Miami GP, Max Verstappen expressed bewilderment and responded that he wasn’t sure if his moves were too aggressive.
“Carlos [Sainz]? I don’t know, it’s a bit of a jungle in the midfield. So, I don’t know what to say.”
With respect to his battle with Russell for fifth place and their collision on the last lap, the 28-year-old explained what had unfolded and added that such contacts are commonplace while fighting for a bigger haul of points.
“Yeah, I think out of Turn 1, he clipped my rear tyres. Then I think he picked up a bit of front wing damage. Luckily, I didn’t have a puncture. But yeah, that can happen.”
How Verstappen feels about Red Bull’s improvements during the 2026 Miami GP weekend
In terms of whether the Miami GP was the first round of the 2026 F1 season where the Red Bull was competitive enough to fight for better positions on the track, Max Verstappen responded in the affirmative. At the same time, he drew attention to how the RB22 and the hardest compound hadn’t gelled well during the race.
“Yeah, at least I can race a bit more with those guys ahead. Unfortunately, just that hard compound didn’t seem to work that well for us.”
Reflecting on whether he was a little bit happier coming out of the race weekend in Miami in comparison to the previous three, Verstappen reiterated how the hard tyres and the length of his second stint had compromised his progress on Sunday.
“I think we’re a bit more competitive. Unfortunately, I think on that hard compound, it was just frustrating the tyres weren’t working, and the stint was just too long.”
Commenting on whether Red Bull fixing the defective steering system had made him feel more comfortable in the RB22, the Dutchman joked that finally having a functional steering wheel was a relief. He also emphasised how he had felt the limitations of the car’s faulty steering from the very beginning and remarked that resolving the issue ahead of the race weekend in Miami allowed him to rack up faster lap times than before.
“Just having a steering wheel that works [is good]. I mean, before the steering was not working. It was really sort of not right. So, I think everyone would like a steering wheel that works.
“I felt that from lap one in this car. So, now we finally fixed it, and it’s lap time, for sure.”
