After making his professional racing debut in the Florida Winter Series a little over eight years ago, on Sunday, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the inaugural Formula One Miami Grand Prix.
Verstappen shrugged off a late challenge from Charles Leclerc to draw in on Ferrari’s world championship lead.
He jumped the other Ferrari of Carlos Sainz at the start and appeared set for an easy victory after starting third.
On lap nine of 57 over the 5.412-kilometer Miami International Autodrome, he passed pole sitter Leclerc.
But a late safety car offered Leclerc hope, as he attacked for four circuits, only to be undone by the Red Bull’s unrivaled straight-line pace.
Verstappen has already won three races this season to Leclerc’s two, and with the fastest lap bonus point, he currently trails his adversary in the standings 104-85.
Sainz finished third, ahead of Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull, with Mercedes’ George Russell and Lewis Hamilton rounding out the top six.
The next event is the Spanish Grand Prix on May 22.
