Introducing the winner of the Sprint Race, Max Verstappen from Red Bull team, in second place we have Charles Leclerc from Ferrari, and in third place is Sergio Perez from Red Bull.
Q: Max Verstappen, congratulations on another victory in this format. Can you tell us how it was? It seemed like you had a slow start and had to pressure Charles at Turn 1. How was the competition between you two?
Max Verstappen: Yes, I didn’t have a good start. So, I had to pressure Charles. Luckily, everything worked out at Turn 1. We had the Safety Car to calm things down a bit. We were able to slowly increase the gap after that. However, it wasn’t perfect. We still have work to do. With the new format, we can make some adjustments to the car. I hope we can improve for qualifying and the race tomorrow. But I’m happy with the win. It gives us points to analyze and improve.
Q: Points are always welcome. The margin of victory in the Sprint race in China was much larger. What kind of information have you gathered today that can be applied in tomorrow’s race?
MV: China was great. The car was very good to drive. However, it was a bit more challenging for me here. There are some areas that need improvement.
Q: The work is only half done. Good luck in the qualifying session this afternoon in Miami. Charles Leclerc, you were driving the beautiful blue Ferrari this weekend. Congratulations on the great result, finishing second in the Sprint race. There are many fans here in Miami rooting for you. Let’s talk about the start first. It seemed like you had a fantastic launch and pressured Max at Turn 1.
Charles Leclerc: Thank you. I had a good start and was on the inside of Turn 1. I didn’t want to take too many risks as we have qualifying later. If I crashed in the Sprint race, it would mean not participating in the upcoming stages. So, I tried to be cautious. We both braked very late, but Max managed to hold onto the position. I pushed hard, but they had a bit more pace in the first three laps. We had similar degradation, so tomorrow’s race will be important. Starting as far forward as possible in qualifying will be crucial. I hope we can pressure the others with our strategy.
P: Let’s shift focus to the qualifying session in Miami. It’s coming up soon. The work is not done yet today, right? You were so close yesterday. What did you learn yesterday and today in the Sprint race that can be applied to fight for pole position this afternoon?
CL: Yesterday was close. We didn’t have many laps in FP1, so the Sprint race allowed me to get more familiar with the track. Our goal is to secure pole position. Let’s see if we can do it.
P: Well, congratulations on a great race today. Good luck this afternoon.
CL: Thank you. Thank you very much.
P: Sergio Perez, you finished third today. It seemed like a relatively smooth race for you. You managed to navigate through the chaos at Turn 1 and then ran your own race.
Sergio Perez: Yes, it was difficult to overtake Daniel at the start. Once I managed to pass him, it was quite fast. However, I was three seconds behind Charles and, given the short duration of the race, it was challenging to close the gap even further. However, let’s look at the rest of the weekend.
P: When you came in here, the crowd cheered very loudly for you. What’s it like to race in Miami with so many fans?
SP: Fans are amazing. It’s great to be here with all of them. I hope to give them an exciting race this weekend.
P: What are your expectations for this afternoon’s qualifying session?
SP: I believe we will be strong, so I’m looking forward to it.
P: Great job, Max. It seemed like a fairly smooth race for you. How was it from your point of view behind the wheel?
MV: Yes, I think the start was not particularly impressive. However, besides that, I focused on taking care of the tires without knowing how long they would last. I’m still not completely satisfied with the balance of the car, so we need to fix that. There was a bit of oversteer, in my opinion. So, before qualifying, we will adjust because I faced the same issue yesterday during qualifying. This situation clearly indicates that our current setup may not be the most suitable for both qualifying and the race. However, winning the race is the most important thing, and we will work to make it more stable.
P: How are the track conditions in Miami today?
MV: They are the same as yesterday. It’s hot, slippery, and there’s not much more to add.
P: Let’s look at this afternoon’s qualifying. Do you expect a session similar to yesterday, or do you think the soft tires will perform better?
MV: Yes, I believe that the more laps we complete with a new set of tires each time, the situation will calm down. In the Sprint race, it may seem a bit strange when you switch from two mediums to a soft tire because the two compounds behave differently. If you only have one chance and make a mistake or the car is not balanced correctly, you can have a terrible lap, which is unfortunate. That’s why I prefer a more traditional qualifying format. With a few sets of tires, you can really make a perfect lap and adapt to the track conditions. I hope the afternoon session is more conventional.
P: Congratulations, Charles. Congratulations to you too. You had a wheel-to-wheel battle with Max approaching Turn 1. Can you tell us about the first 10 seconds of the race?
CL: Yes, I had a pretty good start. I was on the inside of Max for Turn 1. We both braked, maybe a bit too late! However, we managed to make the turn and in the end, Max kept his position. After that, my focus was to stay within one second to activate the DRS, especially after the first Safety Car period, but we couldn’t. Subsequently, it was quite challenging to catch Max. We had a slight tire advantage with the new Mediums. So, being ahead in the qualifying this afternoon will be crucial.
P: After a few practice laps yesterday, the Sprint race was your first extended race of the weekend in Miami. How was the car?
CL: It was good. I don’t think anyone on the grid has an ideal setup due to the limited laps we have in FP1, especially for me, as I only completed one. There’s always a bit of uncertainty, considering the changes in track conditions from Friday to Sunday. It’s a tough situation, but I believe we did a reasonably good job. We still need to make some adjustments for this afternoon to improve even further. I hope it pays off.
P: Moving on to you, Checo. During the race, you had to overtake Daniel Ricciardo. How was the performance of your car?
SP: Yes, I lost a position to Daniel early on while trying to overtake Charles. We all braked very late, and I ended up going too deep into Turn 1, resulting in a lock-up. As a result, I lost the position to Daniel and almost lost another to Carlos. However, I managed to hold on. Right after the Safety Car period, as soon as I could use the DRS, I successfully overtook Daniel. However, by that time, Charles was already three seconds ahead. Considering the short duration of the race, it was pretty much game over. I made a few attempts and reduced the gap at times, but when I got to about 1.8 seconds, it became quite challenging to get closer. Unfortunately, the race was simply too short. In these Sprint races, it’s really difficult to make significant progress if there’s a Safety Car intervention.
P: (Filip Cleeren – Motorsport.com) Charles, you’ve already mentioned that tire degradation will be crucial. You spent the entire race behind Max, so how do you assess your tire degradation and your pace compared to Max? Do you see any opportunities for tomorrow?
CL: I believe we were quite similar in that aspect. Perhaps in the last two or three laps, Max had the advantage and managed to pull away a bit more. But besides that, I struggled a bit with the turbulent air. Whenever I got to 1.8 or 1.7 seconds, my gap increased to 2.2 or 2.3 seconds, and then decreased again. The main issue for me was the turbulent air. I think if I had the DRS on the first lap, we could have put more pressure on Max, but unfortunately we didn’t have that opportunity. So, we need to solve that for tomorrow and make sure we keep the DRS when we’re behind and increase the gap when we’re in front.
P: (Taylor Powling – Motorsport Monday) Charles, you mentioned that you didn’t even feel the turbulence caused by Max less than a second behind. Is this specific to the circuit or a common occurrence with these cars? Will this change with the return to pre-2022 levels?
CL: No, I believe it has always been like this, and it also depends on the car. Some teams claim it’s getting worse. Personally, I feel it’s a bit better compared to last year when it comes to following closely, but we still experience it. Especially when it comes to tire overheating, being behind another car reduces aerodynamic pressure and increases slip, which worsens overheating. So, it’s not specific to the track. It has always been like this.
P: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) This question is for Max. Yesterday, after FP1, you seemed relatively satisfied with the setup, according to Helmut Marko. Can you explain why your feeling was so different compared to qualifying in Miami and today’s Sprint race? Also, how much of a relief is it to have two Closed Parks now?
MV: Yes, we made some changes that we believed would improve our performance in qualifying, but it didn’t work out. We will analyze what we can improve now. I’m glad that this new format allows for some adjustments. Otherwise, we would be stuck with it, and that could ruin our weekend.
P: (Sahil Kapoor – NBC Miami) A question for Max. Despite all the off-track issues at Red Bull, it hasn’t affected your on-track performance. Has it affected you personally? How have you managed to deal with it without impacting your performance? Do you have any doubts that this will continue?
MV: I’m here to race and aim for victory. Of course, it’s important to feel good and have a stable environment. We are working on that, and I believe we can achieve it. A lot has been said about this. I’ve been answering these questions since March, maybe even February… End of February? I don’t even know what to say anymore. As a team, we focus on the car’s performance. So far, it hasn’t affected us, and I’m grateful for that.
P: (Dan Lawrence – Motorsport Monday) Question for Max. We heard you on the radio complaining about tire degradation and mentioning some balance issues. However, you still won the short Sprint race with a three-second advantage. Does this give you confidence for tomorrow, knowing that if you improve these aspects, you can have even more control and aim for victory?
MV: Yes, I hope this is the worst-case scenario, so to speak, because I wasn’t completely satisfied with the car. There is definitely room for improvement. I hope we can find that improvement in qualifying. However, qualifying is always tricky at this track, as it’s hard to get the tires to behave consistently in one lap. Even when you think you’ve got it right, going out on a new set of tires still makes it difficult to maintain consistency. That will be the trickiest part of the weekend, getting it right in qualifying. And if we naturally improve the balance of the car, our tire degradation will also improve in the race. In theory, we should be even more competitive.
© 2024
An internationally renowned racing driver is facing a shocking accusation that could shake the world of motorsport. The driver, whose name cannot be disclosed due to legal restrictions, is being accused of fraud in the sport. The news comes as a shock to the driver’s fans, who have always seen him as an example of integrity and skill on the track.
According to reports, the driver allegedly used illegal methods to enhance the performance of his car during races. These methods would include the installation of unauthorized devices and manipulation of technical data. These practices are considered extremely unethical and are strictly prohibited by the rules of the sport.
The accusation of fraud in sport also raises questions about fair competition and equal opportunities in motorsport. Many fans are wondering if other drivers may also be involved in similar illegal practices. The news will certainly have a significant impact on the world of car racing and could lead to a review of safety measures and sport regulations.
Fans of the pilot are divided regarding the accusations. Some refuse to believe that their idol is capable of such acts, while others are disappointed and feel betrayed. The news has also sparked a heated debate on social media, with many fans expressing their opinion on the matter.
It is still unknown what the consequences will be for the pilot if the accusations are proven. Sport authorities are investigating the case and have promised a thorough and impartial investigation. Meanwhile, fans eagerly await more information and hope that the truth will be revealed.
This accusation of fraud in sports is a reminder that not everything is as it seems in the world of car racing. Pilots are heroes to many fans, but they are also human beings susceptible to errors and temptations. The news serves as a reminder that integrity and honesty should be valued above all in sports. It is important that measures are taken to ensure that cases of fraud are detected and punished appropriately, in order to preserve the credibility and legitimacy of motorsport.