Max Verstappen may continue to follow in his father’s footsteps after Formula 1 – as he joked about being ready for rally after his 360-degree spin at the start of the Miami Grand Prix.
Verstappen was battling for the lead with Charles Leclerc exiting the first corner when he uncharacteristically spun under acceleration at Turn 2, creating a dramatic start to the Miami GP.
The four-time F1 world champion skilfully got his Red Bull car back under control after a 360-degree spin, with the pack sprawled behind him, as he avoided any lasting damage.
Verstappen, whose father Jos transitioned into rallying after his career in single-seaters and suffered a heavy crash in a rally in Belgium the weekend before Miami, felt the save was more rally than F1, but was pleased to avoid hitting the wall.
“I lost the rear in Turn 2 and then of course I tried to minimise the time loss by doing a 360,” Verstappen said. “Yeah, I thought I was going to crash but then I floored it, so I managed to do a good 360. If F1 doesn't work out I can always go rally!”
Attacking the apex of Turn 2, Leclerc closed the line on Verstappen and the two came inches away from contact, but the Red Bull driver had no complaints over Leclerc’s move as he held his hands up over the spin.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
“We just pushed into the corner but I just lost suddenly the rear,” he said. “It just started to slide and once it goes, with heavy fuel, it's hard to catch.”
After the spin Verstappen dropped to the lower reaches of the top 10, which forced him into the “jungle” of the midfield fight, pulling off some feisty moves against Williams pair Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.
Having switched on to the hard tyres during the safety car, Verstappen was ultimately powerless to stop the frontrunners coming by on fresher tyres during the second stint, but took fifth place after Leclerc’s own spin on the last lap.
“I think the pace was not too bad on the medium but as soon as I swapped to the hard compound it was just a lot more difficult,” Verstappen said. “I think now after the race it's easy to say of course but I think that stint was just a bit too long.”
Verstappen also picked up a post-race five-second penalty for crossing the white line at the pitlane exit, but it didn’t impact his final result of fifth place given Leclerc’s 20s penalty for cutting corners in his damaged Ferrari on the final lap.
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Photos from Miami GP – Sunday
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Chandan Khanna / AFP / Getty Images
Rain at the Hard Rock Stadium
Rain at the Hard Rock Stadium
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Brett Farmer / LAT Images via Getty Images
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
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Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari
Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari
Ryan Pierse / Getty Images
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
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Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team
Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team
Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Kym Illman / Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Ryan Pierse / Getty Images
Rafael Nadal and Jon Rahm visit the Aston Martin F1 Team garage.
Rafael Nadal and Jon Rahm visit the Aston Martin F1 Team garage.
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Cam'ron with the Audi F1 Team R26 on the grid.
Cam’ron with the Audi F1 Team R26 on the grid.
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Mark Thompson / Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Hector Vivas / Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
George Russell, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Clive Mason / Getty Images
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Ryan Pierse / Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Ryan Pierse / Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Ryan Pierse / Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Sona Maleterova / Getty Images
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
Rafael Nadal waves the chequered flag for Race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Rafael Nadal waves the chequered flag for Race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Mario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli celebrates after winning
Andrea Kimi Antonelli celebrates after winning
CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Peter Fox / Getty Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Mark Thompson / Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Mario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Lando Norris, McLaren; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Chris Graythen / Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Mario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Mario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Hector Vivas / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Mario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Lando Norris, McLaren
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Lando Norris, McLaren
Sona Maleterova / Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Chris Graythen / Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Chris Graythen / Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Chris Graythen / Getty Images
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