Four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen lost multiple positions off the race start at the Miami GP as he battled Charles Leclerc for the race lead into Turn 1. Fans took to the social media platform X and reacted to the first lap battle and incident between Verstappen and Leclerc.
Max Verstappen started the race in P2 with Charles Leclerc starting in P3. Kimi Antonelli took the pole position. As the cars lined up after the formation lap, Verstappen angled his car towards Antonelli.
Both Antonelli and Verstappen had a disastrous start with Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari getting the usual mega start off the line. The Dutchman defended against Lando Norris off the start, almost putting the McLaren in the wall, and then locked up into the first corner.
Leclerc remained patient, braked early, made the apex, as both Antonelli and Verstappen went deep into the first corner, and got into the lead. Going into the second corner, the Red Bull driver was halfway alongside Leclerc, but took a bit too much curve, putting a lot of load through the RB22, and spun around.
Fans took to the social media platform X and reacted to Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc battling into the first couple of corners, and the Monegasque driver giving the Dutchman a taste of his own medicine.
“Btw, Charles Leclerc OUTMAXED Max Verstappen there,” commented a user
Another wrote, “LECLERC COOKED HIM ON LAP 1 Max spinning like a DJ in Miami… CHAOS SEASON IS HERE”
“LECLERC HAS SCHOOLED MAX HERE. Absolute class,” wrote another
Some fans bashed Max Verstappen for his wheel-to-wheel skills and having spatial awareness.
“Verstappen is unable to fight wheel-to-wheel with anyone, even now in his prime as a driver he cant.”
Another commented, “Max Verstappen’s wheel-to-wheel racing ability is TERRIBLE. 😭”
“Max’s w2w racing might be worst than stroll 😭” mentioned another
Despite spinning 360⁰, Verstappen was able to save the car from going into the barrier, and continued without dropping out of the Top 10.
Max Verstappen rages at Alex Albon at the 2026 Miami GP
On Lap 7, Isack Hadjar went into the barrier, and Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly colliding led to the Alpine rolling over and getting stuck up against a barrier. The same brought out the safety car, with Max Verstappen being the only top runner to put in fresh tyres, and came out towards the back of the grid.
The Dutchman started making his way back up the grid, and soon after getting up into the Top 10, had the task of passing Alex Albon. Verstappen made a dive bomb into the braking zone after the long back straight, with Albon doing the cutback.
Going into the final corner, as Verstappen still had his front tyres alongside Albon, his former teammate almost pushed into the bollard on the pitlane exit. The Red Bull driver took to the team radio and raged at Albon as he said,
“Mate he squeezed me onto that bollard! What the ****, that’s not allowed.”
The Dutchman was eventually able to make his way past the midfield drivers and caught up to the leaders by Lap 20.
Edited by Pranay Bhagi
