Red Bull Motorsports
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Miami GP: the Max Verstappen moment that has everyone talking
The Oracle Red Bull Racing driver stunned F1 fans seconds into the Miami Grand Prix with an early error before delivering one of the most talked-about moments of the entire race.
The Miami Grand Prix erupted into chaos almost immediately after the start, but it was Max Verstappen who delivered the moment everyone kept replaying.
Starting from second on the grid, just behind race winner Kimi Antonelli, Verstappen launched cleanly off the line. Just seconds after the race start, the Dutch driver lost the rear in the opening corners and spun in the middle of a packed field.
Somehow, the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver managed to keep the car under control and avoid a bigger incident that could have ended his race immediately.
Verstappen maintains control in an impossible situation
With cars all around him, Verstappen completed a full 360-degree rotation, avoiding contact and disaster in a moment that lit up social media. “Only man on the grid who could save that,” a user commented on the video the official F1 account posted after the race. “Max single-handedly carried the race. If he wasn’t racing, this race would’ve been the most boring race,” another one commented.
Verstappen took responsibility for the self-inflicted spin on team radio, apologizing to his team. He then told Austrian news outlet ORF in a post-race interview about the incident: “Yes, I made a mistake. Oversteered and then did a 360. That was, of course, a shame, but in the end I’m also just a human being.”
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Verstappen's remarkable recovery: from spin to P5 in Miami fightback
While the spin dropped Verstappen down the order to ninth, the race was far from over for the four-time world champion. When a Safety Car was triggered by a crash involving teammate Isack Hadjar, Verstappen gambled on an early switch to hard tyres, rejoining near the back in 16th.
From there, the Dutch ace went into recovery mode. Cutting through the field with precision on Miami’s demanding street circuit, he surged back into podium contention.
Race winner Kimi Antonelli embraces Verstappen after a memorable Miami GP
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
However, that strategy came at a cost. The long stint on hard tyres began to fade in the closing laps, and despite a fierce fight to hold position, Verstappen eventually crossed the line in fifth.
“It was a very eventful race,” Verstappen said after the finish. “Unfortunately, on lap one I lost the rear and spun in the second corner, which was a shame. I recovered it well, but then we had to manage and minimize the time loss.”
Despite missing out on the podium, Verstappen saw positives in the overall performance and direction of the team: "For sure, we picked up a bit of performance, which is really promising. Overall, it was a positive weekend for us and good to be back in the mix. The car is a work in progress and we keep on pushing and keep trying to improve, so we are heading in the right direction.”
Miami Grand Prix result
Rank
Person
Team
Points
1
Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
25
2
Lando Norris
McLaren
18
3
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
15
4
George Russell
Mercedes
12
5
Max Verstappen
Oracle Red Bull Racing
10
