Components One is again within the Sunshine State for the second time and the primary of three races to be staged in america this yr.
A debut event on the Las Vegas strip will happen in November, whereas Austin’s grand prix on the Circuit of the Americas has been a everlasting fixture on the F1 schedule since 2012.
The Miami Grand Prix will likely be sizzling and humid and the race bodily one of the vital demanding of the season.
Aston Martin, Ferrari and Mercedes will all be hoping to get nearer to Pink Bull, whereas Alpine want a robust outcome after drawing blanks in Melbourne and Baku.
Beneath, Mail Sport previews seven issues to look out for in Miami forward of the motion.
Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix provides Pink Bull’s Sergio Perez an opportunity to steer the championship
Max Verstappen and George Russell verbally sparred following the dash race final weekend
Victory will give Perez championship lead
Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix provides Sergio Perez an opportunity to steer the championship for the primary time and rattle teammate Max Verstappen.
A 3rd win in 5 races would carry the 33-year-old Mexican above reigning double world champion Verstappen and be quite a statement of intent.
Verstappen, who has loved an unbroken run on the prime of the standings since he gained in Spain on Could 22 final yr, has but to complete decrease than second in 2023 and arrives in Florida with a six-point benefit.
The 25-year-old Dutch driver was solely 5 factors away from Perez after 4 races final yr however gained in Miami with quickest lap and went on to complete the season 149 factors forward and with 15 victories to his team-mate’s two.
Perez has by no means gained greater than two races in a season however is coming off the again of a double success in Azerbaijan hoping to construct momentum.
Verstappen and Russell’s feud might proceed
Reigning champion Verstappen and challenger George Russell verbally sparred following the dash race final weekend on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
They have been battling for third place on the opening lap and the contact prompted a gap within the sidepod of Verstappen’s Pink Bull automobile.
Russell stated he will not change how he races Verstappen shifting ahead and has moved on
Following their confrontation within the pits, Verstappen referred to Russell as ‘Princess George’ and Russell stated the two-time champion ‘let himself down’ along with his response to the incident.
Requested Thursday forward of the Miami Grand Prix how their relationship is shifting to a brand new grand prix weekend, Verstappen deadpanned one phrase: ‘horrible’. He then rapidly set the report straight.
‘No after all not,’ Verstappen clarified Thursday on the Miami Grand Prix. ‘Perhaps that is what folks wish to hear, however no. It is completely high-quality.’
Russell stated he will not change how he races Verstappen shifting ahead and has moved on.
Leclerc difficult for pole
Pink Bull have been on pole in three of the 4 races, with Charles Leclerc taking the top slot in Azerbaijan.
None of Leclerc’s final eight pole positions have led to victory, the longest such streak since Brazilian Nelson Piquet went 10 in a row in 1984-87.
Last year Leclerc set the pace in qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix with pole place for Ferrari.
Nonetheless, Verstappen nipped down the inside of Leclerc on the house straight on lap 9 and held on till the chequered flag.
Final yr Charles Leclerc set the tempo in qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix with pole place
Issues can get tough at Flip 14
Carlos Sainz spun his Ferrari at Flip 14 and crashed into the wall on the Miami Worldwide Autodrome throughout second observe in 2022.
In Saturday observe, Esteban Ocon had a 51g crash on the identical a part of the monitor.
After the 2 crashes, the drivers requested the FIA to introduce extra security at that flip. Nonetheless the FIA refused.
McLaren driver Lando Norris supported the 2 drivers and stated: ‘As drivers, we frequently know higher than the specialists the place the dangers lie.
‘It’s best to take heed to us once in a while. We gave our suggestion after Carlos’ accident, and the FIA did not react. It isn’t OK.’
Hamilton’s LGBTQ+ protest
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton lashed out on Thursday at anti-LGBTQ measures enacted by Florida lawmakers and ripped the state’s controversial ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ regulation with a reference to oppression seen in Saudi Arabia.
‘It isn’t good in any respect,’ Hamilton stated forward of F1’s extremely anticipated race in suburban Miami this weekend.
‘I stand by these inside the group right here. I hope they proceed to face agency and push again. I will have the rainbow on my helmet. It is no completely different to after we have been in Saudi.’
Hamilton usually makes use of his platform to talk on problems with social justice and race, human rights and safety of the LBGTQ group.
He typically races with a rainbow flag on his helmet, particularly when F1 stops at venues positioned in nations with restrictive legal guidelines.
Lewis Hamilton lashed out on Thursday at anti-LGBTQ measures enacted by Florida lawmakers
Rain might see Alonso carry it residence
Double world champion Fernando Alonso performed down the possibility of an Aston Martin victory on the Miami Grand Prix.
‘Perhaps not too many surprises,’ Alonso advised reporters on Thursday. ‘When you’ve got the quickest automobile, you can begin a bit bit behind and you’re nonetheless possibly making some strikes and overtakes.
‘If you’re in every other automobile, as I stated we’re all inside 1/tenth so wherever you qualify you’re nonetheless kind of safe in that place and there usually are not many overtakes after lap two or three.’
The climate might shake up the order, with scorching temperatures forecast for Saturday’s qualifying adopted by rain on Sunday.
Tyre degradation, which the Aston Martins have mastered, could also be a significant component within the weekend warmth.
‘That will likely be most likely the power of our automobile so hopefully we will apply it to Sunday if there usually are not many security automobiles or not rain or one thing,’ stated Alonso.
‘We might see some rain forecast for Sunday so issues could change however to not see many overtakes is the character of Components One so it shouldn’t be a shock.’
Double world champion Fernando Alonso performed down the possibility of an Aston Martin victory
A US sprinkle of pizzazz
Whereas Miami can ship loads of Monaco like pizzazz, the motion on the monitor is also much like Monte Carlo with treasured little overtaking.
Quick X stars Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez will function in Sky Sports activities F1’s weekend protection forward of the movie’s launch on Could 19.
There was a large surge in Components One’s recognition in america, which for the primary time will host three races this season in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas.
A few of that pleasure may be traced to the vastly profitable Netflix collection Drive to Survive, which packaged the glitz and hazard of the game by way of spectacular crashes, compelling figures and storylines.
However Pink Bull’s early season dominance has eliminated a few of the shine, significantly within the US, with critics labelling the primary 4 races as ‘boring’.
