VERSTAPPEN WINS THE FIRST RACE IN MIAMI
In what must be one of the most hyped up races in recent history - Miami warmed up to an exciting finish between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc fighting for the win with Perez and Sainz fighting for the final spot of the podium.
As the lights went out in Miami it was Leclerc (Ferrari) gets away well with Verstappen (Red Bull) into second with Sainz (Ferrari) dropping down into third - thats the best start Verstappen could have hoped for starting on the dirty side of the track.
On lap eight Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) is forced to retire with a technical issue.
Just nine laps into the race and it was Max Verstappen who managed to pass Leclerc for the lead into the braking zone of turn one. Verstappen leads with Leclerc in second and Sainz still in third.
We didn't see the top five drivers pit until lap 25 when Leclerc was the first of the top 5 to pit for fresh tyres - he comes back out in fourth ahead of Bottas (Alfa Romeo). On the very next lap Verstappen pits from the lead for the hard tyre - Sainz takes the lead and Max rejoins the track in second ahead of Perez in third. Then on lap 27 Sainz pits from first meaning Verstappen re gains the lead of the race - Sainz comes back out in third ahead of Perez in fourth.
It took a little while for much to happen in the inaugural Miami race but on lap 41 it all changed after Norris (McLaren) clips the Alpha Tauri of Gasly and Norris loses his rear right tyre and is out and the VSC is deployed. It all happened because Gasly is going slowly after going wide in the previous corner.
On lap 42 the full Safety Car is deployed. The majority of the drivers use this opportunity as a free pit stop. Perez is the only one in the top four to pit during the Safety Car period.
It was lap 47 that the Safety Car comes in and the racing gets back underway - Verstappen leads from Leclerc and Sainz in third. Gasly pits and retires from the race after a difficult weekend for the Frenchman.
With just five laps left Perez goes for a diving move into turn one but locks up and almost takes himself and Sainz out and Ferrari and Sainz keep third place.
On lap 54, Vettel (Aston Martin) and Schumacher (Haas) make contact into turn one and it forces Vettel to retire.
The next race is the Spanish Grand Prix.
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