F1 Miami Grand Prix 2024: Max Verstappen wins tumultuous sprint race at Miami International Autodrome

Verstappen has won each of the first two grands prix run at the Dolphins' stadium complex

Polesitter Max Verstappen won the Miami Grand Prix sprint on Saturday afternoon by 3.3 seconds from second-place starter Charles Leclerc. What happened behind them over 19 laps was chaotic.

The madness started in the first turn as Lance Stroll roared up the outside of his Aston Martin teammate Fernando Alonso, while Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton rapidly came up the inside and careened into both Astons. That contact collected McLaren's Lando Norris, who had left several feet on the inside, but was taken out anyway. Ultimately Norris and Stroll had to retire from the race.

Hamilton took part in a highly spirited battle with Kevin Magnussen that saw the latter rack up 25 seconds in penalties for leaving the track to gain an advantage. Magnussen at one point successfully backed up Hamilton to the point that he was passed by RB's Yuki Tsunoda during their battle. Despite finishing eighth on track, Hamilton was eventually demoted to 16th place for a pit lane speeding penalty

Formula 1 makes its first of three visits to the United States this weekend as it takes over the Hard Rock Stadium complex for the third-ever Miami Grand Prix. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has won each of the first two runnings of this race en route to two of his three world championships and again enters as the overwhelming favorite.

Here’s what to know ahead of the Miami Grand Prix race weekend:

Top drivers and best bets for the Miami Grand Prix

Max Verstappen is statistically in the midst of the most individually dominant era in the history of F1. Since the beginning of the 2022 season he has won an incredible 38 of 49 races. That inevitability is reflected in BetMGM’s odds for the Miami Grand Prix.

Verstappen has a staggering -550 moneyline, meaning a $100 bet would yield only $18.18 in winnings. The next best odds belong Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez at +800, which is eight dollars won for every dollar wagered. For comparison’s sake, last year Verstappen entered the weekend at -200, while Pérez was +300.

The forecast calls for hot, muggy conditions with better than a 50 percent chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday. The tarmac for the Miami Grand Prix already provides very low grip, so the combination of high temperatures, a slick track and mid-range tires could potentially make for some exciting racing.