Max Verstappen was absent from media day at the Miami Grand Prix due to the recent birth of his daughter. He was granted special permission to extend his stay with his girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, for an additional 24 hours.
Verstappen arrived at the track on Friday, fully prepared for the weekend’s action. He qualified in fourth place for the Sprint and was running in third when his race took an unfortunate turn. Red Bull mistakenly released Verstappen into the path of Kimi Antonelli, resulting in a collision that caused him to lose a front wing endplate. As the Dutch driver struggled with the damage, Lewis Hamilton passed him on the track. A subsequent 10-second penalty, issued after the safety car period, saw Verstappen drop to the back of the field.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton faced frustration after qualifying for the Sprint, where he could only manage a seventh-place start. Though he was closer to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in terms of pace than in previous races, Hamilton expressed his frustration over Ferrari’s ongoing performance struggles.
However, Hamilton demonstrated his strategic brilliance during the Saturday race. He made an almost perfect switch to slick tyres, which allowed him to climb to third place by the end of the race, securing his second-best result since joining Ferrari.
Max Verstappen Recognizes Hamilton’s Commitment at the Miami Grand Prix
Red Bull shared a video on Instagram showing the Dutch driver arriving at the Miami Grand Prix circuit early on Saturday morning, ahead of the day’s track activities. The lighting indicated it was still early, with the Sprint scheduled to begin at noon local time.
Max Verstappen, driving a Ford 4×4, pointed out Hamilton’s early arrival in the car park. The Red Bull man appeared to acknowledge Hamilton’s dedication, gesturing toward the area where the seven-time world champion had already arrived. He commented on Hamilton’s commitment, stating, “You see that, by the way? Seven-time world champion, four-time world champion – the first in.”
Both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are among the most successful drivers in Formula 1 history. Combined, they have secured 11 world championships and won 169 Grands Prix – a total surpassed only by McLaren and Ferrari in terms of victories.
Paddock sources noted that the Briton had stayed late into the night in Saudi Arabia the month before, underscoring his unwavering commitment to the sport, even though his recent results have been less than ideal.
Damon Hill’s Reaction to Verstappen’s Comment on Hamilton
1996 World Champion Damon Hill responded to Verstappen’s Instagram comment, sharing it on his own story. Hill referred to the duo as “the early birds,” recognizing their shared commitment to the sport.
Although Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were fierce rivals during the dramatic 2021 season, their relationship has improved since, particularly as they’ve seldom been direct competitors in recent races.
Following the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the British driver publicly praised Max Verstappen’s impressive drive from 17th to first, which effectively sealed Verstappen’s second consecutive world championship. The Dutchman, in return, congratulated Hamilton at Silverstone after the seven-time F1 world champion ended his multi-year victory drought. While the two may never be close friends, their mutual respect for one another is unmistakable.
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