Max Verstappen wins the Miami Grand Prix: F1 – as it happened

Rhythm is gonna get’cha

Rhythm is gonna get’cha

Rhythm is gonna get you

The rhythm is gonna get you tonight

No way, you can fight it every day

But no matter what you say

You know it the rhythm is gonna get’cha

Gloria Estefan and her Sound Machine, Crockett & Tubbs, Steve Van Zandt, Dan Marino, Tony Montana, The Rock, Gentle Ben, Jon Secada, Police Academy 5, Phil Neville: yes, it’s probably time to shake out the Miami cliches before the big race itself, though a first F1 race here since 1959 is quite the occasion, as America, via Netflix, has becomes the latest territory the fastest vroom-vroom cars in the world of sport have conquered.

What’s at stake, beyond Lewis Hamilton’s battle to keep his body piercings on in the cockpit? Well, Charles Leclerc looked highly accomplished in qualifying where Max Verstappen did not, as the world champion was forced into a mistake when pushing too hard on his final lap. In the drivers’ championship, Leclerc leads Verstappen by 27 points, a handy advantage, and he has Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz alongside him on the starting grid, with Verstappen in third with Red Bull oppo Sergio Perez in fourth.

It’s hot out there, humid, too, and that could make for some fine entertainment. Reliability could be an issue for all the teams – just ask Hamilton’s Merc team even if he did make sixth on the grid this time – and may be the deciding factor.

Moon over Miami

Shine on my love and me

So we can stroll beside the roll

Of the rolling sea

Moon over Miami

Shine on as we begin

A dream or two that may come true

As the tide comes in