Verstappen Closes Gap On Leclerc As Hamilton Struggles

There were many unanswered questions heading into the inaugural Miami Grand Prix. Many felt that it would be a straight shootout between defending champion Max Verstappen and current title race leader Charles Leclerc for first, which proved to be the case. And everyone was also eager to see how Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes faired due to their poor start to the season.

Verstappen may have started the race in third in Miami, but he quickly made his way to the front of the pack after Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz on Turn One, before hunting down Leclerc and overtaking him at the beginning of the ninth lap. It’s fair to say that everything went according to plan for Red Bull and their number one driver in this respect. Verstappen was comfortable out in front and on course for his third win of the campaign.

However, a safety car joined the action with ten laps to go after a strange collision occurred between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly of Alpha Tauri. The introduction of the safety car at this point handed Leclerc a much-needed lifeline. And he did everything in his power to take advantage of the fortune that had come his way. But, even though Leclerc managed to close the gap, he was never in range to mount any sort of lunge for the lead, with Verstappen then pulling away from his rival to make it two victories from his last two outings.

Seeing Verstappen and Leclerc finishing in first and second was no surprise to anyone. It was, however, crucial for Verstappen to be the one coming out on top, as he has ground to make up in the driver standings. Even now, he’s nineteen points adrift of Leclerc, with eight-five points on the board to the Ferrari deriver’s impressive haul of one hundred and four. But, two wins from his last two races, and three from five this season, is the right way to go about things.

Seeing Verstappen and Leclerc finishing in first and second was no surprise to anyone. It was, however, crucial for Verstappen to be the one coming out on top, as he has ground to make up in the driver standings. Even now, he’s nineteen points adrift of Leclerc, with eight-five points on the board to the Ferrari deriver’s impressive haul of one hundred and four. But, two wins from his last two races, and three from five this season, is the right way to go about things.

Speaking of getting good, Lewis Hamilton continues to struggle, and is way off the pace in the driver standings with thirty-six points. After finishing third in Bahrain, the Brit laboured to tenth in Saudi Arabia, fourth in Australia, a disappointing thirteenth in Italy and recorded a sixth-place finish in Miami. If he continues in this form, and if Mercedes fail to get the car right for their number one driver, it will be a season of misery.