Verstappen explains 'SATISFYING' win as Perez laments 'really poor' race

Andrew McLean
Sunday 7 May 2023 23:50

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez both pointed to the Dutchman's pace on the hard tyre as the difference in the Miami Grand Prix.

The Red Bull duo were locked in a strategic battle for much of the race with Perez starting on the mediums while Verstappen started on the hards.

It was the Dutchman who eventually prevailed after overcoming starting ninth on the grid. He displayed excellent pace on the hard tyre more than halfway through his stint, putting in quicker laps than his team-mate who was on significantly younger rubber.

Verstappen and Perez have now taken one-twos all but one of the first five Grand Prix this year with the 25-year-old holding a 14-point lead at the top of the Championship.

Verstappen: Very satisfying race

Verstappen was positively buzzing after the race, telling Jenson Button that he believed his pace on the hards was the 'difference maker'.

"It was a good race," he said. "I stayed out of trouble at the beginning, had a clean race, picked off the cars one by one and I could stay out really long on the hard tyre.

"I think that's where we made the difference today and then a good little battle with Checo at the end. Yesterday was a bit of a setback, but today we kept it calm and clean, and winning a race from P9 is always very satisfying."

Perez: Verstappen deserved to win

While Perez was disappointed to come second after starting on pole, he conceded that Verstappen was a deserved winner given his pace on the hard tyre.

"I gave it all," he said after the race. "I think the first stint was really poor with the graining we had and that compromised quite a lot of the race because we didn't have too much of a difference.

"It is a well-deserved win (for Max). I think the medium initially was really poor and that was unexpected. That really compromised our pace and I also think Max had tremendous pace on the hard tyres. I think I have to analyse what went wrong today because I simply didn't have the pace."

Verstappen and Perez are likely to compete for the race win again in Imola next time out as the Formula 1 circus heads to Italy for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in two weeks' time.

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