RADIO GAG: MARKO LAUGHS AT MCLAREN'S 'ATTACK MAX' MESSAGE
Red Bull's Helmut Marko laughed at a McLaren radio message telling Lando Norris to "attack Max" in the Las Vegas GP. Verstappen responded with a series of fastest laps to win by over 20 seconds.
Helmut Marko was amused by McLaren telling Lando Norris to go after Max Verstappen near the end of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
After fighting his way back to second after losing the lead from pole position at the first turn, Norris heard from McLaren, “We’re going to get Max.”
Verstappen then set the fastest lap, pulling far ahead of Norris and winning by over 20 seconds, since Norris had to save fuel in the last laps.
Red Bull advisor Marko said McLaren's instruction to Norris made him laugh.
He [Verstappen] kept pace with the others without problems, which saved his tyres, Marko told Sky Sports Germany. We also stayed out longer than everyone else.
We knew about the condition of the other teams' tyres, and the funniest thing was the message from McLaren: 'Attack Max, overtake him.' Then [Verstappen] hammered in one fastest lap after another, just to make it clear.
He did it so confidently and easily. We had no problems at all. Lando had some trouble near the end since he was two or three seconds slower. Sadly, no one could take advantage.
From the first lap, I wouldn’t say [Max] won the start. He won the first corner and basically forced Norris into a mistake.”
Norris admitted Verstappen was too fast.
Norris said after the race that McLaren wasn't fast enough to challenge Verstappen.
“We just weren't quick enough. We didn't have the pace,” he said. “I messed up Turn 1 - it was pretty bad. I braked too late. It was all on me, pretty bad.
“Even if I came out in P1 out of Turn 1, we were not quick enough. Same as Brazil. Max has done a very good job, and the Red Bull is very quick. They deserve the win.
“They were in another league compared to us. It’s a shame we didn't have more pace, but we’ve got to try and improve a bit more.”
After his disqualification for plank wear, Norris has a 24-point lead over Verstappen and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri going into the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
