Max Verstappen on Miami GP boos: They only do it because I'm winning

Red Bull driver was heckled before and after latest victory that extended his championship lead to 14 points

Max Verstappencelebrates with his Red Bull team after winning the Miami Grand Prix on May 7, 2023. AFP

Bullish Max Verstappen insisted the only reason he is being targeted for boos by Formula One crowds is the fact he is winning regularly.

The Red Bull driver secured his third victory of the season after starting the Miami Grand Prix ninth on the grid but went on to take the chequered flag five seconds clear of teammate Sergio Perez with Fernando Alonso a distant third.

It extended Verstappen's championship lead to 14 points over Perez, who had secured his third career pole position in Saturday's qualifying session, as the Dutchman looks to make it three titles in a row.

But the 25-year-old was heckled as he was introduced on the grid in the moments before the race, and then also on the podium as he was presented with his winner's trophy.

“If I am driving at the back nobody will be doing anything in terms of a reaction,” said Verstappen.

“It is normal when you are winning and they don't like who is winning. This is something which is absolutely fine for me as long as I stand on the top step of the podium.

“That is the most important thing. I take the trophy home and they can go back to their houses and have a nice evening.”

After starting so far back, Verstappen ruthlessly overtook every driver in front of him before eventually overtaking Perez to take the lead. Once in front, there was simply no catching him.

“It was a good race,” added Verstappen, who started ninth after Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s crash on Saturday denied the Dutchman a fast qualifying lap.

“I stayed out of trouble at the beginning and then just had a clean race, you know, picked the cars off one by one.

“I stayed out really long on the hard tyres and I think that's what made the difference and then a good little battle with Checo at the end.

“Yesterday was of course a bit of a setback but today we kept it calm, kept it clean and for sure winning a race from P9 is very satisfying.”

Meanwhile, team principal Christian Horner said Red Bull's total dominance this season is mainly due to the failings of their rivals Mercedes and Ferrari rather than any big steps forward from his team.

Red Bull have won all five races and had four one-two finishes so far this season, leading some to worry the sport is becoming too predictable.

But while this is Red Bull's best-ever start to an F1 season, Horner doesn't want to take too much credit for his team.

“We feel that we've made a good step from the [previous car] but the kind of step that you would expect, it's more that it feels like others have lost ground,” Horner told reporters.

The Englishman said that he has been surprised by the lack of competitiveness of the rivals.

“I think it surprised us that the others have perhaps under-delivered compared to where they were last year, but no doubt they will be looking to address that, and I'm sure starting in Imola [for Emilia Romagna GP on May 21] we're going to see big updates starting to come through,” he added.