F1 Miami Grand Prix: Time, TV and Results

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So now it is a two-horse race. Or a two-bull race. Whatever.

Sergio Pérez’s victory final weekend in Baku, Azerbaijan, was his second of the Formula 1 season, and it allowed him to match the victory whole of his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen. More necessary? The outcome allowed Pérez to shut Verstappen’s lead within the drivers’ championship to a mere six factors because the sequence arrived within the United States for Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix.

Since the one certain factor in Formula 1 in the meanwhile appears to be {that a} Red Bull will end first, every week now looms as a hinge second. Pérez begins Sunday with the benefit: He is on pole place, and is aware of a win will give him the lead within the factors race. Verstappen, certainly seething after qualifying ninth, shall be trying to reassert himself. Driving offended appears to go well with the reigning world champion, however weaving by means of the sector — which he did impressively in March in Saudi Arabia — is inherently harmful.

Buckle up.

Time: The Miami Grand Prix begins at 3:30 pm Eastern time. (Global begin instances are right here.)

TV: The race will air on ABC within the United States, which is — DVR alert — a swap from its regular house on ESPN. Coverage begins at 2 pm Eastern. Not in America? A full record of Formula 1 broadcasters, wherever you might be, might be discovered right here.

A Red Bull will begin first, however perhaps not the one you anticipated? Pérez was quickest in qualifying, and he shall be joined on the entrance row by the relentless (and apparently ageless) Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.

Verstappen will begin ninth, however he is already gone from beginning fifteenth to ending second in a race this yr, so do not rely him out. Lewis Hamilton has fared even worse: He’s to begin thirteenth.

Red Bull vs. Red Bull. Red Bull’s staff principal, Christian Horner, has completed nothing to maintain his two drivers, Pérez and Verstappen, from competing to see who might be the quickest every week. So far, that’s producing wins and little friction. “They know as a staff how we function: They get the prospect, they get the chance to race one another,” Horner mentioned in an interview with ESPN this week. “But they must respect the staff on the similar time.” Today may provide the primary take a look at of that hands-off administration: a scorching day, a good observe, a champion (Verstappen) on the hunt. For the second, Horner is concentrated on amassing as many factors as doable, on extending the benefit earlier than different groups make enhancements. Two drivers who’re far forward of the sector? “It’s a luxurious downside to have,” he mentioned.

Predictability. Four races. Four Red Bull victories. Three 1-2 finishes. Is Formula 1 getting, um, boring? There was renewed dialogue this week about whether or not the dominance of Red Bull’s vehicles was spoiling the enjoyable for everybody else. George Russell of Mercedes, who declared on the season’s first race that Red Bull had “this championship sewn up,” steered that the one precise competitors today was the battle for third place. Was he proper? “I’ll do my finest to not make it boring, however on the finish it is a sport,” Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc mentioned. “It’s like in each sport. Sometimes a staff is simply higher than others. And in the meanwhile it is the case with Red Bull.”

Rain? There are thunderstorms within the forecast for Sunday, and rain may play an enormous function on a observe that was repaved forward of this yr’s race. Verstappen misplaced a great qualifying lap after a slip despatched him a tiny bit broad in a flip, prompting a little bit of expletive-laden self-criticism. Leclerc went into the wall twice after pushing his Ferrari too laborious, prompting expletives from lots of people (together with Verstappen, for the reason that pink flag that adopted Leclerc’s crash on Saturday prevented Verstappen from a ultimate problem for pole place). Qualifying confirmed that drivers who stored to the racing line had been rewarded for it. Grip was far much less certain outdoors it. A moist observe will not make that any higher.

  • “I wish to win, so this isn’t nice.” — Verstappen on qualifying ninth.

  • “This just isn’t acceptable.” — Leclerc, after crashing on the identical flip two days in a row.

  • “The automobile just isn’t quick sufficient, and we’ve not bought any understanding why that’s.” — Mercedes staff principal, Toto Wolff, saying the quiet half out loud.

Sergio Pérez received final week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the fourth victory for Red Bull in 4 races and the third 1-2 end for Formula 1’s dominant staff this season.

Red Bull’s solely race at this level is in opposition to itself:

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