09/05/2023
NEWS STORY
"Standing on top of the podium," is the most important thing for Max Verstappen as he shrugs off booing from sections of the Miami crowd.
With around 70% of the Miami population being Spanish speakers, as were the first three drivers on Sunday's grid, it was always likely that there would be a degree of bias towards Messrs Perez, Alonso and Sainz. Fair enough.
However, ahead of the race and during the podium ceremony, a section of the crowd loudly booed race winner, Max Verstappen.
"I think if I would be driving in the back of the grid nobody would do anything in terms of reaction," said the Dutchman, who perhaps partly motivated by the reaction from the crowd, powered his way through the field from ninth on the grid to the top step of the podium. "It's normal when you are winning and they don't like who is winning. It's something for me that is absolutely fine.
"As long as I stand on the top of the podium that is the most important thing," he smiled. "I take the trophy home and they go back to their houses and they can have a nice evening."
Other than having the best car on the grid, and DRS to die for, the Dutchman's cause was greatly aided by a tyre strategy which saw him start on the hards while most of those ahead were on mediums.
Making his sole stop 25 laps after his teammate, he rejoined the race behind the Mexican but had overhauled him just a lap later.
"I always feel unbeatable," declared Verstappen, an attitude hardly likely to endear him to many, but rather reinforce his image as a pantomime villain. "But sometimes other people also have a really good day and they can be close to you, or match you and be ahead.
"But I think what is important is to try to be close to 100 percent or perfect every single time. Yesterday wasn't perfect, so overall this weekend wasn't perfect.
"It's a long season and I always try to be as close as possible to perfect."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Miami here.