Formula 1’s first Miami Grand Prix took place in 2022 on a brand new track that offered very little grip and fell apart in the heat.
That put pressure on the event organiser to have the track up to scratch for this year’s race. A new surface was duly laid in time for F1’s return.
Nonetheless drivers still voiced doubts about its suitability for racing. As well as still being fairly low on grip, the track’s little-loved turn 14-15 chicane remained, and the FIA’s decision to shorten two of its DRS zones prompted warnings from some drivers.
Having a new surface for 2023 meant the grip levels were different to last year, and overnight rain between qualifying and the race also washed away the rubber that had been laid down. However the 57-lap race featured 52 overtakes, with race winner Max Verstappen contributing eight of those as he carved his way through from ninth on the grid to the lead.
Afterwards several drivers said they were pleased with the quality of the action on-track. “I think it was very good,” said Fernando Alonso, “also the DRS.”
“I did [go off-line] just to overtake the Alpine and the Ferrari. I think Max was P2 by lap 14. So plenty of DRS distance, and a lot of overtaking.
“Then eventually you are in the position you deserve, and your car pays, and there is no more overtaking from that point. But that’s not a problem of the rules or the circuit, it’s just the nature of F1.”
Verstappen thought the off-line grip “improved quite a bit over the weekend” having been one of many in the paddock who had expected overtaking would be difficult.
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“I was a little bit afraid, of course, with the rain that it would be a bit worse,” he said. “But most places were quite okay.
“It’s a street circuit, you can’t expect it to be amazing off-line, that’s how it goes. But overall I think it was a lot more fun to drive compared to last year. I think the Tarmac has been a lot better. So it was absolutely fine, it’s not a bad track. I think the first sector is quite alright.”
The Red Bull driver would like a change at one point on the circuit, where he ran into trouble during Q3 on Saturday. “I’m not a big fan of turns seven and eight, because you just can’t really see the apex coming,” he said.
“You’re almost trying to look over your tyre, which is already a massive thing in the way. But the rest, [turns] four-five-six is fun. I think a good improvement was made to the chicane this year. It was a bit more fun, how you were riding it. So it’s decent.”
His Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez had concerns about the same corner, but felt the rest of the track had been improved.
“I think the main problem is only turn seven and eight, going off-line, a little bit off-line and there is no grip, it’s like ice there,” Perez said. “So maybe if there can be some improvement there. But the rest of the circuit has been a very good improvement.”
Alpine’s Esteban Ocon also gave a positive verdict on the changes, calling the track “much better than last year, I think to overtake as well.”
“There’s been more grip on the inside and I think they’ve done a very good job, overall, the organisers, to be able to give a good race track,” he said.
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2023 Miami Grand Prix
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