Max Verstappen has shown great self-criticism and a sense of humor after his 360-degree spin during the first lap of the Miami Grand Prix. The Red Bull Racing driver experienced a moment of anguish when he lost control of his vehicle while fighting for the lead with Charles Leclerc.
The four-time F1 champion started the race with energy, but on the second turn, over-acceleration caused his unexpected spin. Fortunately, he managed to regain control of his car and avoid an accident that could have been disastrous.
Verstappen, who is the son of former rally driver Jos Verstappen, who recently had an accident in Belgium, commented that his recovery reminded him more of the rally world than of F1. “I lost the rear at corner 2 and tried to minimize the time loss by doing a 360. I thought I was going to crash, but I accelerated and managed to do a good 360. If F1 doesn’t go well, I can always do rally!” he said with a smile.
After this incident, Verstappen was forced to fight amidst the midfield driving. He managed to overtake some rivals like Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, but finished the race in fifth position after Leclerc also had his problematic moment.
After the race, Verstappen made it clear that switching to hard tires during the safety car period was a challenge for him. “I think the speed wasn’t too bad with the mediums, but when I switched to the hards, it was much harder. It’s easy to say now, but that period was perhaps too long.”
The Red Bull driver received a five-second penalty for crossing the white line at the exit of the pit, but this did not affect his final position, as Leclerc received a 20-second penalty for cutting corners with his Ferrari.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
