Miami Grand Prix: Max Verstappen sends warning to F1 rivals after stunning Red Bull qualifying

Max Verstappen, Miami GP, 2026, Red Bull Racing, generic — Photo: © IMAGO

Miami Grand Prix

Max Verstappen sends warning to F1 rivals after stunning Red Bull qualifying

Miami Grand Prix gave Red Bull and Verstappen a boost

By Vincent Bruins.

Sunday 3 May 2026 00:35

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Max Verstappen described qualifying for the F1 Miami Grand Prix as seeing “the light at the end of the tunnel.”

The four-time world champion is confident that all the hard work during Red Bull Racing’s spring break is beginning to pay off, though the Dutchman did have one piece of criticism.

During qualifying at the Miami International Autodrome at the Hard Rock Stadium, Verstappen secured the second-fastest time. He was just 0.166 seconds shy of beating Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and he managed to outperform the Ferraris, McLarens, and even George Russell’s other Mercedes.

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In the first three race weekends, Verstappen often felt like he was merely along for the ride in the Red Bull RB22, but thanks to several upgrades and tweaks, the team’s blue car is now heading in a promising direction.

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Light at the end of the tunnel

After qualifying, Martin Brundle, who conducted the top-three interviews, mentioned that rain was expected on Sunday and stressed that starting at the very front might be crucial for a good launch.

“Let’s just get a good start for once,” Verstappen laughed. “That’s something we haven’t seen this year. We need to keep an eye on the weather to see how it all unfolds.”

He also pointed out that recurring battery issues at the start have cost him valuable positions, something Red Bull still needs to address.

For now, the Dutch driver is very pleased with the progress he and his team have made.

“It truly feels like we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. From here, we can really push to close the gap even further,” he said.

Verstappen is not overly worried about his current race pace. “In the Sprint, everything ran smoothly, especially once I was in clean air. But tomorrow will be a completely different day.”

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Miami Grand Prix