F1 is headed back to Miami as the teams travel from an uneventful weekend in Baku to South Florida for the second Miami Grand Prix. Last year’s inaugural race on the circuit in Miami was not only a massive success when it comes to TV ratings, but was also a huge cultural and entertainment success with celebrities flocking to the F1 event just like a weekend in Monaco.
While this weekend will surely be full of glitz and glamour, what can we expect to see on the track?
Red Bull remains, yet again, the team to beat with the fastest car on the track. While Sergio Perez won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend, his teammate Max Verstappen remains to favorite on the grid and was also the winner of the 2022 Miami Grand Prix.
Verstappen is at the top of the Drivers Standings with 93 points. Perez is second with 87 and then Aston Martin racer Fernando Alonso is 3rd with 60. Red Bull also holds a commanding lead in the Constructors Standings after four races with Aston Martin in second and Mercedes in third.
The track remains unchanged from last year other than being repaved to ensure a better level of grip for the possibility of more over-taking. The circuit is essentially a street-style race around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens and is complete with complicated turns and sections for full-throttle straightaway speed.
In fact, it should be one of the fastest races this season with only Monza, the Mexico Grand Prix and the new Las Vegas Grand Prix expected to register higher top speeds.
There should be some rain during practices, but the weather is expected to be hot and humid on Race Day, which could be an added challenge for the drivers to manage.
The Miami Grand Prix will also mark the first United States race for American driver Logan Sargeant, who is racing for Williams this year. While he certainly won’t win the race, the home fans will be hoping for him to possibly push into the points.
The Miami Grand Prix will be the first of three grand prix to be held in the United States in 2023. The United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas will be on October 22, before the Las Vegas Grand Prix debuts on November 18.
Miami Grand Prix, how to watch
Preview Show
- Date: Friday, May 5th
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN2
Qualifying
- Date: Saturday, May 6th
- Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
The Race
- Date: Sunday, May 7th
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- TV: ABC
For more F1 Coverage, visit amNY Sports
2023 Miami Grand Prix Odds
For up-to-the-minute odds for the Miami Grand Prix visit DraftKings here
| Driver | Odds to Win | Top 3 Finish | Top 6 Finish | Top 10 Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | -210 | -440 | -600 | -750 |
| Sergio Perez | +330 | -300 | -440 | -600 |
| Charles Leclerc | +1400 | +115 | -380 | -550 |
| Fernando Alonso | +1800 | -105 | -380 | -550 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +2800 | +195 | -330 | -440 |
| Carlos Sainz Jr. | +3200 | +410 | -270 | -380 |
| George Russell | +4200 | +410 | -270 | -330 |
| Lando Norris | +11000 | +2200 | +300 | -200 |
| Lance Stroll | +11000 | +850 | -105 | -250 |
| Niko Hulkenberg | +20000 | +10000 | +2200 | +250 |
| Esteban Ocon | +20000 | +7000 | +550 | -150 |
| Pierre Gasly | +20000 | +7000 | +500 | -150 |
| Oscar Piastri | +20000 | +10000 | +1100 | +195 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | +20000 | +10000 | +1600 | +160 |
| Valtteri Bottas | +20000 | +10000 | +3200 | +300 |
| Nyck de Vries | +20000 | +10000 | +3300 | +350 |
| Logan Sargent | +20000 | +10000 | +4200 | +470 |
| Kevin Magnusson | +20000 | +10000 | +2300 | +250 |
| Guanyu Zhou | +20000 | +10000 | +3200 | +300 |
| Alex Albon | +20000 | +10000 | +1700 | +160 |
Miami Grand Prix Top Picks
Charles Leclerc to end on podium (+115)
The race figures to be between Red Bull teammates Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, but which one will win is a bit of a toss-up as Perez has shown that he can hang with Verstappen. However, I think Charles Leclerc is being underrated a bit. As a technical driver, he may be second only to Verstappen. He qualified in pole position on this track last year and also qualified on pole in last weekend’s race. He has yet to convert that into much success this season, but I think this is the weekend he delivers on Sunday.
Lance Stroll to finish Top-Six (-110)
Fernando Alonso driving for Aston Martin has been great not only for him, as he sits in 3rd place overall, but also for his teammate Lance Stroll. In last weekend’s race, TV coverage showed audio of experienced veteran Alonso passing on suggestions to Stroll through his team principal, and there has no doubt been that kind of strategy talk off the track as well.
So far this season, Stroll has two top-six finishes in four races and seemed likely to have a third last weekend before suffering damage that ultimately moved him down to seventh place. I like the odds of him getting back into the top six.
Miami Prix Darkhorse Pick
Sergio Perez to win the Grand Prix (+330)
If we’re going to bet on one of the Red Bull drivers to pull this off, then why not the one with the longer odds? Perez has arguably been Verstappen’s equal for much of this season; yet, these odds put Verstappen with a 2/3 likelihood to win the Miami Grand Prix. I’d rather take the chances on the better payout with Perez.
Charles Leclerc fastest qualifier (+300)
As I mentioned above, Leclerc was the fastest qualifier last weekend and continues to do well on Saturdays. He was the fastest qualifier in Miami last year and actually topped Verstappen and Perez in each of the three rounds. He has yet to turn that into a win on Sunday, but these are really good odds for Leclerc to do something he has repeatedly shown himself capable of doing better than almost anybody.
For more F1 coverage like this preview of the Miami Grand Prix, visit amNY Sports
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