2023 F1 Miami GP: Race Predictions

F1 Grand Prix of Miami - Previews — These two Red Bull drivers are going to fight it out in the Miami GP

The 2023 F1 Miami GP grid is all set with Sergio Perez starting the race on pole position while Max Verstappen will be in P8. On a track that has seen its DRS zone reduced by 75m, the intrigue around a possible battle for the lead has piqued.

To add to this, Perez will have the wily old fox in Fernando Alonso right alongside him on the front row, followed by Carlos Sainz in P3 and Kevin Magnussen in P4.

Drivers like Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Max Verstappen, and Lance Stroll will be starting the race not in their customary positions. What kind of impact could it have on the racing in general?

Who is going to win the race and who will be on the podium? Let's find out as we take a look at our predictions for the 2023 F1 Miami GP.

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#1 Max Verstappen wins the 2023 F1 Miami GP

This might just be a bold prediction because the Red Bull driver is admittedly starting too far behind to stake a claim. More importantly, Sergio Perez starting on pole position and lately not having too much of a deficit against Max has certainly made the task dicier.

Having said that, if we keep the mistake in qualifying aside, Max Verstappen has had a major performance advantage, not only over the rest of the field but his teammate as well.

For Verstappen, the main factor would be how well he's able to make his way through the field. Keeping everything in mind, we're still going for the reigning champion to nail everything and win the 2023 F1 Miami GP.

#2 Expect stoppages to play a crucial role in strategy

One of the factors that would continue to fuel Verstappen's chances of challenging for and ultimately winning the 2023 F1 Miami GP is the crash-prone nature of the track.

There are far too many areas that could lead to cars losing control and heading into the barriers, and when that happens, we're looking at a safety car stoppage.

The start of the race is another such phase where this could happen so that needs to be looked at. To add to this, with as many as five cars out of their usual starting positions, it won't be too big a surprise to see a few of them getting involved in a clash or two.

This race could be fun and action-filled, unlike Baku, and one of the reasons behind it is going to be the jumbled grid order.

#3 Fernando Alonso secures his 4th podium of the season

We can predict all the chaos in the world, but one thing that remains certain is the calm that Alonso continues to maintain in such scenarios. If Aston Martin's deficit was not so big, Alonso would have been a live underdog for the win.

Since that is not going to be the case, expect the Spaniard to secure another podium this weekend.

The car has strong pace and fortunately for him, the strong qualifying means he won't need to make his way through the field.

#4 Overtaking is going to be a major issue

There are multiple cars starting the race out of position and that should ideally yield a more intense race with cars making their way through the field.

However, one of the major issues with a track like Miami is the limited overtaking opportunities. Plenty of sections on the track are single-file in nature and more often than not, you have to wait for the straights to pull off an overtake.

With a shortened DRS zone on a 2023 F1 Miami GP track that was already not overtly conducive for action, we're looking at another race where overtaking could be a concern.

Cars like the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll or even the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton will have to work really hard to make their way through the field. While it will be interesting to watch, the progress will not be as easy as has been the norm at other tracks.

#5 Mercedes will have a much better race than qualifying

The 2023 F1 Miami GP was off to an impressive note for Mercedes when the team ended FP1 with a 1-2. Since then, it's all been downhill and drivers are not happy. Lewis Hamilton will start the race outside top 10, while George Russell too was fortunate to have a decent starting point.

Having said that, the 2023 F1 Miami GP on Sunday should be much better for the team as the car is fundamentally stronger. Mercedes might have struggled with the one-lap pace, the race pace should continue to be impressive.

Now, one issue for Lewis Hamilton could be how he manages to make his way through the field in a car that is low on top speed.

If the Mercedes driver can figure that out, then a top 6 result will not be much of a surprise.