Max Verstappen criticised Lewis Hamilton following an unusual position exchange during the Miami Grand Prix sprint race. The Red Bull Racing driver felt the incident cost both drivers valuable time during the race.
The situation arose when Verstappen overtook Hamilton for sixth place by running off track, forcing him to give the position back. However, Hamilton did not immediately retake the place, leading to a delay that resulted in lost time for both drivers.
"I had to let him by, but he didn’t come by, so we lost time because he stayed behind. That’s where we wasted time."
From a regulatory perspective, position handbacks must be executed clearly without disrupting race flow. This incident highlighted how on-track communication and execution can directly impact race efficiency, particularly in a sprint format with limited laps.
Once back in clean air, Verstappen reported competitive pace but acknowledged ongoing technical challenges. He highlighted instability in low-speed corners, where the car exhibited bouncing that affected grip levels.
"Once I was in clean air, the pace was quite okay, but in low-speed corners the car is jumping a lot, costing me grip."
He also experienced issues at the start, including a poor launch and battery deployment problems, which compromised his early race performance and track position.
Despite gaining a position due to a penalty for Kimi Antonelli, Verstappen’s assessment underlined that Red Bull Racing still has significant work to do. Improving consistency, particularly in low-speed performance, will be crucial ahead of the main race and upcoming rounds of the 2026 season.
Read Also
Liam Lawson admits Alpine performance leap in Miami 2026, analysing midfield gap and technical development race.
Kimi Antonelli admits stress after Q3 error in Miami 2026 qualifying despite securing pole, analysing performance and risks.
Max Verstappen sees progress at Red Bull after P2 in Miami qualifying, analysing upgrades and improved car balance.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!