The Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix was marked by signs of progress for Red Bull Racing, despite a result below the team’s expectations. Max Verstappen finished in fifth place after an eventful race.
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The performance indicates car development, but also shows that the team still needs to improve to consistently fight for the top positions again. The weekend provided important data for development.
Verstappen regretted the mistake right on the first lap, which compromised his race: “It was a race full of events. Unfortunately, I lost the rear and spun at the second corner, which was a shame,” he said. He explained that he managed to recover but faced difficulties with the hard tires: “We didn’t have enough grip and struggled at the end. I did the best I could, but it wasn’t our day,” he said.
Despite this, the Dutchman highlighted the positive side of the weekend: “We definitely gained some performance, which is promising. The car is still evolving, but we are heading in the right direction,” he added.
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Isack Hadjar did not have the same result and retired after a mistake that resulted in a crash into the barrier. The driver acknowledged the frustration, especially due to the good initial pace: “We had a strong start and good pace, but I made a mistake. I need to analyze what happened, as I felt points were possible,” he said.
The team principal, Laurent Mekies, emphasized the technical progress but kept a grounded perspective: “We still have a lot of work to do, but looking at our race and qualifying pace, we are on the right track,” he concluded, also highlighting the team’s collective effort and the need to keep evolving to return to fighting for the top positions in the upcoming rounds.
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