In these report cards we’ll be taking a look at the drivers who stood out from the crowd and those who struggled to make an impact. Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso are among the top performers, while Logan Sargeant and Nyck de Vries find themselves on the struggle bus. Want to know why? Read on to find out!
Top of the Class:
Max Verstappen – Qualifying: 9th | Race: 1st (+FL)
On Saturday, Verstappen made a small error in the first lap of the last qualifying session, and unfortunately, this little mistake had severe consequences. The red flag Leclerc caused interrupted Verstappen’s second run, resulting in him being relegated to 9th on the grid – which became a blessing in disguise, as it added to the excitement to Sunday’s race. If the Dutchman started up front, he most likely would have pulled a gap straight away, never to be seen again until the chequered flag, but this time, the opposite was true.
Verstappen and his team gave the spectators a true masterclass in overtaking and strategy. He started on hard tyres, meaning he completed almost the entire race on the same set. This clever strategy along with some superb tyre management allowed him to move to the front of the grid quickly.
When pitting for mediums, he had already established a sizeable gap between himself and the rest of the field. This move only dropped him down to P2, just behind teammate Perez. However, Verstappen overtook Perez with ease, thanks to the fresher tyres he just picked up. From there on, Max simply cruised home, securing the win and earning himself the title of Driver of the Day.
Fernando Alonso – Qualifying: 2nd | Race: 3rd
Alonso had yet another impressive performance this weekend, securing his fourth podium finish this year and his fifth consecutive top-5 finish.
During the race, Alonso had time to spare, as he observed his teammate Lance Stroll’s overtake on the screens and complimented him over the board radio. Clearly, the Spaniard was very much in his element.
Although Alonso couldn’t fend off Verstappen, it wasn’t entirely unexpected given the Dutch driver’s impressive lap times throughout the race. Fernando’s pace was good enough to beat both Ferrari and Mercedes (yet again), which allowed him to secure the third podium step once more.
It’s worth noting at the beginning of the season, a podium finish was a remarkable achievement, but Alonso himself is keen to share how he is aiming for more – the next goal is getting up on second step podium or better yet, for him to take the top spot. It has to be said, however, that this will likely only happen if the Bulls have a true mare of a weekend.
Kevin Magnussen – Qualifying: 4th | Race: 10th
Although he had a somewhat backwards trajectory in the race, going from 4th to 10th, Magnussen still managed to earn a spot among the top of the class in my books. Clinging onto the final point was quite an accomplishment, given the Haas car isn’t the fastest on the block and the entirety of the midfield seemed tangled up into a DRS train, which would make a tiny mistake very costly indeed.
That mistake was not made, as the Dane proved himself to be a real pain for those in quicker cars. He hung onto their tails and stole back positions they had taken for him. A truly commendable drive, even without much to show for it.
What also needs to be said, is the Haas car is showing promising signs of being competitive, and consistently so. This is good news as they will be looking to improve their position in the manufacturer’s standings compared to last year.
The honourable Mention of the day…
George Russell earns the honourable mention for his performance on Sunday. The Brit was proud to have finished P4 on merit alone and even more delighted to have finished ahead of the Ferraris, which he felt was the maximum achievement for the team.
Struggle Bus:
Logan Sargeant – Qualifying: 20th | Race: 20th
The American driver finds himself in the driver’s seat of the struggle bus, as finishing last on home soil definitely isn’t something to be proud of.
It all started with a disappointing back-of-the-grid start after a less-than-stellar qualifying, which was further compounded by the damage to his front wing on the opening lap, forcing Sargeant to pit so it could be replaced. The remainder of the afternoon was difficult, as he made little to no gains and could only focus on bringing the car home
Sargeant took full responsibility for the unsatisfactory outcome of the race. Luckily, he still has two more chances to shine on home soil in Vegas and Austin. Let’s hope he can bounce back and put on a better performance in those outings.
Nyck de Vries – Qualifying: 15th | Race: 18th
Nyck de Vries had a disappointing weekend at Miami, despite showing promise in the early stages.
He made it to Q2, which was a commendable accomplishment considering his teammate Yuki Tsunoda didn’t – but unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse on Sunday. At the start of the race, he locked up and ran into the back of Norris, resulting in significant vibration and a loss of positions.
Despite the setback, Team Principal Franz Tost remains patient and understanding, which should help de Vries feel less pressure to produce immediate results. Still, the rest of the paddock doesn’t tend to be this kind, so it would still be in his best interest to start picking up pace sooner than later and show them what he’s really worth.
McLaren
Lando Norris – Qualifying: 16th | Race: 17th
Oscar Piastri – Qualifying: 19th | Race: 19th
Mclaren had another stinker of a weekend in Miami, following a relatively good one in Baku where it seemed things were finally looking up. The team struggled to find the pace needed to get out of Q1 on Saturday, and things didn’t get better on race day.
During the first lap, Lando Norris was involved in an incident with Nyck de Vries causing damage to his car. As a result, the Briton lost about 2/10th to 3/10th of time per lap. On the other side of the garage Oscar Piastri had to deal with a brake-by-wire issue. Overall, it was a tough weekend for Mclaren and they’ll be keen on getting some updates sooner than later.
Then for dishonourable mentions…
First to receive a dishonourable mention is Lance Stroll. Despite being praised by Alonso for his overtake, Stroll failed to score any points in the Miami Grand Prix. It just isn’t a good look to return to the garage empty-handed whilst your teammate gets to celebrate a podium, which is why this weekend’s result lands him on the bottom half of his list.
Second to receive a dishonourable mention is Ferrari, as they had another humbling weekend. They seemed to have made some progress in Baku, only for it to go down the drain in Miami. Charles Leclerc caused a red flag during Q3 by error, but at least it shows he’s pushing hard. Things didn’t improve on Sunday, as he even struggled to pass Magnussen. Whether that’s a flaw on Leclerc’s behalf or a strength on Magnussen’s behalf, I leave for you to judge.
As for Carlos Sainz, he couldn’t keep up with Alonso’s pace and was left behind. It was a disappointing result for Ferrari, who will need to regroup and work on their performance for the next race.
After that triple-header, we’re due a week’s break as teams move their cargo back to Europe. There, the F1 circus will get going once again at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Be sure to tune in to see lights go out at 2 pm.
