Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing achieved a step forward at Miami GP, qualifying sixth and finishing fifth in the main race despite a first-lap spin. Team principal Laurent Mekies praised the progress, noting they closed the gap to pole position from 1.2 seconds in Japan to 0.166s in Miami—though Mercedes and Ferrari remain ahead.

Red Bull’s improvement followed a comprehensive upgrade package, including new floor and wings, which delivered expected race pace. Verstappen’s 44-second deficit in the main race was overshadowed by strategic errors: a first-lap spin dropped him to ninth, a pitstop during the safety car dropped him to 16th, and a 51-lap stint under hards led to 10 overtaking moves. Isack Hadjar struggled, crashing out of the main race on lap five after being excluded from qualifying.

Mekies emphasized Red Bull is still behind F1's best, with upgrades like weight-reducing components expected at the Austrian GP. The team’s progress highlights the intense competition: Mercedes and Ferrari are four teams in a tight race, and Red Bull must extract more from their package to challenge for top-three finishes.

Red Bull’s Miami GP showed potential, but Verstappen’s second-place finish in the sprint and fifth in the main race underscore the gap to Mercedes. The team’s upgrades are critical, but they remain focused on closing the gap to the frontrunners.