Windsor is short of superlatives after impressive performance by Verstappen

Red Bull Contentpool

F1 News

windsor analysis verstappen win gp miami 2023
8 May 2023 at 07:32
  • GPblog.com

Peter Windsor is short of superlatives for Max Verstappen's performance at the Miami Grand Prix. According to the Briton, Verstappen demoralised his teammate, although the Dutchman also briefly caused sweaty hands at the pit wall.

Verstappen wins in Miami

Verstappen managed to win the Miami GP in impressive fashion on Sunday by driving from P9 to victory. Sergio Perez started from pole, but in the same car even the Mexican was no match for the two-time world champion. In his post-race analysis, Windsor is short of superlatives.

''Suberb performance. Suberb, no, the word is not good enough'', began the former Williams team manager on his own YouTube channel. In Windsor's view, because of his mistake during qualifying, Verstappen had to do something special in the race to still overtake his Red Bull colleague, but that turned out to be a breeze.

In short order, Verstappen caught up with everyone, but the difference, according to Windsor, was in the opening lap. There he let Esteban Ocon go for a while, without getting into trouble and still passing him quickly. ''Within two, three laps he was closing in on everyone.''

The difference with Perez

In his analysis, Windsor pointed mainly to the first two sectors. Whereas in Baku, according to Windsor, Verstappen lost out in the first sector compared to Perez, he was actually able to save his tyres in that sector. There he drove the same times as Perez on mediums, only to show his talent in the second sector. ''Sector two was where Verstappen was really very good. There you have to be very precise with the car. Easy to run too wide, easy to hit chicane curbs too hard. Max was just brilliant through there.''

When Perez then came in for new tyres, the Mexican briefly caught up, but it didn't last long. Verstappen had managed his tyres well and the team allowed him to push again. The gap increased again and that broke Perez.

''This is was the moment where Sergio Perez would have been demoralised. And that wasn't Perez being on the wrong strategy necessarilly or wasn't Perez having problems with his car. It was just Max being absolutely suberb when they said 'right Max, you can go for it now,' and he started to go really quickly. That's where he won this race.''

Still, things got a little tense for Red Bull, as Verstappen still had to pass his teammate on the track. He did so outside at turn one, but he had to rely on space from Perez. He got that, but Windsor saw the sweaty heads in the Red Bull garage. ''At this moment Christian, Adrian and Helmut were probably not breathing at all. Sergio hadn't understeer into Max which potentially could have happened, Max put his car in a position of harm,'' the Brit concluded.