Besides the ding-dong battle we’ve seen so far from Red Bull and Ferrari five races in, the midfield battle between McLaren and Mercedes is getting interesting, and there’s a lot at stake for these two constructors when the Formula 1 calendar shifts back to South Beach for the 2024 Miami Grand Prix.
Between these two midfield teams, McLaren have a 44-point edge over Mercedes because they fared better in the Chinese Grand Prix, as Lando Norris won P2 to split the two Red Bulls, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Speaking of Red Bull, the Milton Keynes outfit is going to see one of their longest-tenured members leave the team next season, and rival constructors are planning to swoop in.
Without further ado, SBOTOP is here to bring you the newest Miami Grand Prix 2024 updates.
Mercedes and McLaren eyeing upgrades in Miami
Team principal Andrea Stella admitted he was surprised with their performance in China considering they have yet to implement their first huge upgrade of the 2024 season.
Despite the fact that the Shanghai International Circuit doesn’t favour their car due to its twisty nature, they still managed to haul in a lot of points, as Lando Norris finished second and Oscar Piastri finished eighth for the third time this season.
If it weren’t for the damage sustained in his car during the second half of the race, Oscar Piastri would’ve been much higher in the pecking order in the Chinese Grand Prix.
Now with the new upgrades incoming, the Papayas are hoping to make a huge jump, similar to what happened last season when they improved their machine in Austria and Singapore.
Norris and Piastri were scraping for points in the races prior to Austria, but when the upgrades arrived, the two McLaren drivers went on to tally nine podium finishes combined.
As for the Silver Arrows, Lewis Hamilton’s farewell tour hasn’t gone according to plan, as teammate George Russell continues to outpace him. In Shanghai, the seven-time world champion shockingly dropped out of Q1 to start P18 on the grid and eventually finished ninth, three spots below Russell.
Like McLaren, Mercedes principal Toto Wolff is also hoping that the new package in Miami will unlock the W15’s true power and pace, which have been non-existent since the start of the year.
Ferrari looking to pull off major coup at the expense of Red Bull, but there’s a catch
Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey is set to leave Red Bull next year after serving the company for 19 years. The 65-year-old aerodynamicist is one of the key contributors behind the team’s six constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ titles.
With Newey set to become a free agent, for sure, many rival constructors would be keen to acquire him, and one of them is Ferrari.
During a recent interview with the media, incoming Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton was asked about the prospect of teaming up with Adrian Newey, and the 39-year-old said that he would love to have him on his corner because his track record speaks for itself.
However, getting Adrian Newey is not as simple as it looks for the Prancing Horse because he has a 12-month non-compete clause on his current contract with Red Bull. If that is enforced by the Milton Keynes outfit, Newey would be unable to work for another team until the start of the 2027 season.
History
Max Verstappen is the only winner of the Miami Grand Prix so far since its inauguration two years ago, despite qualifying for third and ninth, respectively, in 2022 and 2023.
In 2022, pole-sitter Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. were right behind the Dutchman, while Sergio Perez finished P4. But last year, pole-sitter Sergio Perez took P2 and was joined by Fernando Alonso, who finished P3, on the podium.
What are the odds?
To no one’s surprise, the Miami Grand Prix 2024 odds are in favour of Max Verstappen winning his third consecutive Miami Grand Prix this weekend.
The Dutchman is priced at 1.20 compared to 3.63 against any other driver in the Sprint, and he’s at 1.18 compared to 3.77 against any other driver in the actual race on Sunday.
Meanwhile, his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, installed at 1.32, should have no problems taking a podium spot, while Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Lando Norris are right behind him at 1.55, 1.65, and 1.87, respectively.
In terms of the team head-to-heads, McLaren have the edge over Mercedes since the Papayas are 1.25 compared to the Silver Arrows’ 3.32.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FORMULA 1 STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
