Verstappen has won the first two F1 races held in Miami, Leclerc and Perez have taken previous poles here and Magnussen qualified in the top four last year. Here’s everything you need to know about each driver’s history at the Miami Grand Prix!
🇳🇱 Max VERSTAPPEN
Max Verstappen is the only driver to have won the Miami Grand Prix during its time on the F1 calendar.
His 2022 win came despite a far from ideal start to his weekend. The Red Bull driver complained of heavy steering in Free Practice 2 and subsequently sat out the rest of the Friday afternoon session. He returned to the track for Free Practice 3, where he was lucky to avoid contact with the barriers following a spin.
Verstappen made a mistake on his final qualifying lap and lined up third on the grid. By the tenth lap of the race, Verstappen had overtaken Charles Leclerc for the lead of the race. He went on to win, becoming the first driver to win a World Championship F1 race in Florida since Bruce McLaren at the 1959 United States Grand Prix.
The timing of the red flag in Q3 at the 2023 Miami Grand Prix meant that Verstappen started only ninth for the second race at Miami International Autodrome. That did not prevent him from winning a second consecutive race at the track, however. By Lap 15, he was running second to his team-mate and by Lap 20 he was leading the race. From there, the win did not look in doubt.
MAX VERSTAPPEN’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | WON | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 2023 | LOST | 9 | 9 | 1 | 8 |
🇲🇽 Sergio PEREZ
Sergio Perez spent the majority of the 2022 Miami Grand Prix chasing after Carlos Sainz. His efforts were ultimately fruitless, despite some bold overtaking attempts. After qualifying in fourth place – just half a tenth slower than his team-mate – Perez finished the race in the same position as he started.
One year later, Perez secured pole position for the 2023 Miami Grand Prix but was unable to stay ahead of his team-mate in the race and finished as runner-up.
SERGIO PEREZ’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | LOST | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023 | WON | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
🇬🇧 Lewis HAMILTON
Lewis Hamilton out-qualified George Russell at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix, but qualified behind former team-mate Valtteri Bottas. Starting sixth, Hamilton lost two positions at the start of the race and made light contact with Fernando Alonso. He soon made the positions back up. In the closing stages, Hamilton passed Bottas for fifth place following a mistake for the Alfa Romeo driver but was then passed by Russell, meaning he finished in the same position as he started.
Hamilton again finished sixth in the 2023 Miami Grand Prix, though this time he did so despite not reaching Q3. He qualified only 13th for the race, recording a relatively rare Q2 exit.
LEWIS HAMILTON’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | WON | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 2023 | LOST | 13 | 13 | 6 | 7 |
🇬🇧 George RUSSELL
George Russell was the fastest driver on Friday at the Miami Grand Prix but was far off the pace on Saturday. He was eliminated in Q2, qualifying in 12th place. He then lost positions at the start of the Grand Prix, dropping to 16th. He made up a number of positions through others pitting and a conveniently-timed Virtual Safety Car period. In the later stages of the race, Russell passed Valtteri Bottas and team-mate Lewis Hamilton to finish in fifth place.
Russell maintained his 100% points-finishing record at the Miami Grand Prix in 2023, this time finishing one position further up, in fourth place. On Saturday, Russell had reached Q3 for the first time at the track, qualifying in sixth place.
GEORGE RUSSELL’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | LOST | 12 | 12 | 5 | 7 |
| 2023 | WON | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
🇲🇨 Charles LECLERC
Charles Leclerc was the fastest driver in the first ever on-track session at the Miami Grand Prix. He also had the pace on Saturday, becoming Miami International Autodrome’s first polesitter. Leclerc was powerless to stop Max Verstappen passing him in the early stages of the Grand Prix and finished the race as runner-up.
Leclerc had a scruffy weekend at the 2023 Miami Grand Prix. After crashing out in Free Practice 2 at Turn 7, he went on to crash at the same corner in the final part of qualifying. Starting seventh on the grid, he failed to make progress and finished in the same position as he started.
CHARLES LECLERC’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | WON | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 2023 | LOST | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
🇪🇸 Carlos SAINZ
Carlos Sainz had a troubled Friday at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix. After picking up a puncture as the result of a spin in Free Practice 1, he crashed out in Free Practice 2. Sainz recovered well to qualify on the front row, behind his team-mate. His fastest lap was just 0.005 seconds faster than Max Verstappen’s fastest effort.
In the race, Sainz was overtaken by Verstappen at the start and came under pressure from the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez. Despite a slow pit stop and Perez’s best attempts to overtake, Sainz was able to stay ahead and pick up a podium finish.
Sainz recorded another top five result at the 2023 Miami Grand Prix. He had qualified third for the race but lost two positions to finish fifth. This was despite picking up a time penalty for speeding in the pit lane, which did not affect his final finishing position.
CARLOS SAINZ’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | LOST | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 |
| 2023 | WON | 3 | 3 | 5 | -2 |
🇬🇧 Lando NORRIS
Lando Norris’ first appearance at the Miami Grand Prix ended in disappointment as he retired from the race following a collision with Pierre Gasly. He had qualified in eighth place for the race, out-qualifying his team-mate.
It was another disappointing weekend in 2023. Norris exited in Q1 on Saturday, missing out on a spot in Q1 by just 0.069 seconds. With team-mate Oscar Piastri also out, McLaren recorded their first double Q1 elimination in almost five years. With McLaren off the pace, Norris lost one positon from where he started and came home a lowly 17th.
LANDO NORRIS’ MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | WON | 8 | 8 | DNF | – |
| 2023 | WON | 16 | 16 | 17 | -1 |
🇦🇺 Oscar PIASTRI
Oscar Piastri qualified only 19th on his first outing at Miami International Autodrome in 2023. He failed to make progress in the race and finished in the same position as he started.
OSCAR PIASTRI’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2023 | LOST | 19 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
🇪🇸 Fernando ALONSO
Fernando Alonso qualified in 11th place with Alpine at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix, narrowly missing out on the top ten shootout. Alonso spent the majority of the race stuck behind Pierre Gasly, with whom he made contact at Turn 1 and picked up a five second time penalty. He finished eighth on track but a further five second time penalty for cutting the chicane and gaining an advantage saw him drop to 11th in the final order.
Alonso picked up points at the Miami Grand Prix for the first time in 2023. After qualifying on the front row alongside Sergio Perez, Alonso would be overtaken by the polesitters team-mate in the race but would hold on to third, recording a podium finish with Aston Martin.
FERNANDO ALONSO’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | WON | 11 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 2023 | WON | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 |
🇨🇦 Lance STROLL
Lance Stroll reached Q3 at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix, qualifying in ninth place. However, his hard work on Saturday was undone on Sunday as he was forced to start from the pit lane due to fuel legality concerns for both Aston Martin drivers.
From the pit lane, Stroll gained positions throughout the race, despite making contact twice with Kevin Magnussen and being shown the black and white flag for weaving. The Canadian finished 12th on the road but picked up a solitary point following penalties for both Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo.
Stroll had another lowly starting place for the 2023 Miami Grand Prix, this time starting from 18th on the grid after exiting in Q1. From there, he made up six positions in the race to finish sixth.
LANCE STROLL’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | WON | 10 | PIT | 10 | 10 |
| 2023 | LOST | 18 | 18 | 12 | 6 |
🇫🇷 Esteban OCON
Esteban Ocon failed to set a lap time in qualifying for the 2022 Miami Grand Prix following a heavy crash in final practice. Starting from the back of the grid (18th in the order, thanks to pit lane starts for the Aston Martin drivers), Ocon made quick work of passing Nicholas Latifi, but his Williams team-mate Alex Albon was harder to overtake.
By the time of his pit stop, Ocon was running in eighth place. He took advantage of pitting under a caution period, meaning he lost only two positions as a result of his stop. The Frenchman was lucky to gain two positions in the closing stages, finishing eighth as a result of a collision between Mick Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.
Ocon maintained his 100% points-scoring record in Miami at the 2023 race, finishing one position down on the previous season. Ocon reached Q3 for the first time at the track, qualifying eighth – three places behind his team-mate.
ESTEBAN OCON’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | LOST | 20 | 20 | 8 | 12 |
| 2023 | LOST | 8 | 8 | 9 | -1 |
🇫🇷 Pierre GASLY
Pierre Gasly secured one of his best qualifying results of the 2022 season with seventh place at the Miami Grand Prix. Gasly made up a place at the start, passing Hamilton for sixth place – though he was soon re-passed by the Mercedes driver.
Gasly had a wide moment later on in the race and made contact with Lando Norris when rejoining the track. The contact ended both drivers’ races, with Gasly retiring as a result of suspension damage.
Gasly again had an impressive qualifying showing at the 2023 Miami Grand Prix, bettering his previous result by two places and lining up in the top five on the grid. Although he lost places in the race, he finished eighth and picked up his first points in Miami.
PIERRE GASLY’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | WON | 7 | 7 | DNF | – |
| 2023 | WON | 5 | 5 | 8 | -3 |
🇹🇭 Alex ALBON
Despite promising pace in practice, Alex Albon qualified only 18th for the 2022 Miami Grand Prix. He was one of the drivers to gain the most positions in the race, finishing in ninth place and scoring rare points for Williams in 2022.
In 2023, Albon missed out on a spot in Q3 by only 0.052 seconds. He started the race from 11th but was unable to make progress, coming home in 14th place.
ALEX ALBON’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | WON | 18 | 18 | 9 | 9 |
| 2023 | WON | 11 | 11 | 14 | -3 |
🇺🇸 Logan SARGEANT
Logan Sargeant made his first home appearance in Formula 1 at the 2023 Miami Grand Prix. The first of three home events in his maiden campaign, the Miami Grand Prix is the American race on the calendar which is situated closest to Sargeant’s birthplace. He became the first American driver to race on home soil in Formula 1 since Alexander Rossi at the 2015 United States Grand Prix.
Sargeant set the slowest time in qualifying for the 2023 Miami Grand Prix and, with every driver finishing the race, he came home in 20th place – one lap down on the leaders.
LOGAN SARGEANT’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2023 | LOST | 20 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
🇯🇵 Yuki TSUNODA
Yuki Tsunoda reached Q3 at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix, qualifying two positions behind his AlphaTauri team-mate. Tsunoda lost a position to Fernando Alonso at the start of the race and lost more positions through the race, eventually finishing in 12th.
One year later, Tsunoda failed to progress past Q1 at the Miami Grand Prix and started from 17th on the grid. Nevertheless, he recorded a better result in 2023 than in 2022, finishing in 11th place – and just over one second away from a points finish.
YUKI TSUNODA’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | LOST | 9 | 9 | 12 | -3 |
| 2023 | LOST | 17 | 17 | 11 | 6 |
🇦🇺 Daniel RICCIARDO
On his first Miami Grand Prix appearance in 2022, Daniel Ricciardo qualified six positions behind then McLaren team-mate Lando Norris. Starting 14th, Ricciardo made up a single position to finish 13th.
DANIEL RICCIARDO’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | LOST | 14 | 14 | 13 | 1 |
🇫🇮 Valtteri BOTTAS
Valtteri Bottas was one of the stars of the 2022 Miami Grand Prix weekend. After a crash in Free Practice 1, Bottas missed the rest of the on-track action on Friday. When he returned to the track on Saturday, he was able to qualify in an impressive fifth place.
The Alfa Romeo driver held position throughout the opening stages of the race and was running in the same position following the final Safety Car period. However, the Finn made a mistake at Turn 17, allowing both Mercedes drivers to pass him as he ran wide. He finished the race in seventh place.
Bottas reached Q3 once again at the 2023 Miami Grand Prix but the timing of the red flag meant that he was unable to set a lap time and started tenth on the grid. From there, he lost three positions over the course of the race to finish 13th, ending his 100% points rate at the track.
VALTTERI BOTTAS’ MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | WON | 5 | 5 | 7 | -2 |
| 2023 | WON | 10 | 10 | 13 | -3 |
🇨🇳 ZHOU Guanyu
Zhou Guanyu was eliminated in Q1 at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix after getting caught up in traffic on his final lap in the session. Starting from 17th, Zhou had a short Sunday afternoon. He retired from the race on Lap 6.
He finished the Miami Grand Prix for the first time in 2023, finishing 16th. Zhou had reached Q2 on Saturday, qualifying in 14th place – four places down on his team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
ZHOU GUANYU’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | WON | 5 | 5 | 7 | -2 |
| 2023 | WON | 10 | 10 | 13 | -3 |
🇩🇰 Kevin MAGNUSSEN
Struggling with a lack of radio communication in qualifying, Kevin Magnussen failed to progress past Q1 at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix. He qualified in 16th place for the race and started 14th after both Aston Martins were moved to the pit lane. He passed three drivers ahead of his first stop and then moved up to tenth before opting to make a second stop.
Later in the race, the Dane picked up front wing damage after contact with Lance Stroll, for which he received a five-second time penalty. Magnussen failed to reach the chequered flag, pulling into the pits two laps from the end of the race.
Despite spinning in Free Practice 2 and hitting the wall, Magnussen impressed in qualifying for the 2023 Miami Grand Prix and lined up fourth on the grid – his highest grid position of the season. Although he failed to stay that far up the order for long, he brought home his first points finish at the track, scoring a solitary point as a result of finishing tenth.
KEVIN MAGNUSSEN’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2022 | LOST | 16 | 16 | DNF | – |
| 2023 | WON | 4 | 4 | 10 | -6 |
🇩🇪 Nico HULKENBERG
While his team-mate progressed to Q3, Nico Hulkenberg was out in Q2 on his first Miami Grand Prix appearance last year. He started the race 12th and lost three positions to finish 15th. Hulkenberg’s preparation for the race weekend was hampered by a crash in Free Practice 1.
NICO HULKENBERG’S MIAMI GRAND PRIX HISTORY
| Quali Battle | Qualified | Grid | Finished | Pos Change | |
| 2023 | LOST | 12 | 12 | 15 | -3 |