Miami GP: Max Verstappen hails ‘great win’ from ninth on grid

Reigning champion was jeered before and after the race

Max Verstappen on the winners' podium in Miami, Florida. Getty

Max Verstappen beat Sergio Perez and the boo brigade to extend his world championship lead.

Verstappen was jeered before and after the race, as he celebrated a triumph that moves him 14 points clear of teammate Perez, who finished second.

Fernando Alonso was third for Aston Martin. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and sixth for Mercedes.

Verstappen divides opinion in the sport and he was booed by the Hard Rock Stadium crowd as he was presented on the grid before the 57-lap race by rapper LL Cool J.

But the boos did not faze the double world champion as he raced from ninth on the grid to top spot to claim his third win from five rounds.

“It was a good race. I stayed out of trouble in the beginning. I had a good battle with Checo and we kept it clean and that was the most important thing. A great win today," Verstappen said.

“Yesterday was a setback in qualifying but today we kept it calm and clean, and winning a race from ninth is always very satisfying.”

Verstappen, who started on a different strategy to teammate and pole-sitter Perez, was up to second on lap 15.

He stopped for tyres with a dozen laps to go and then cruised into the lead by outbraking Perez at the opening corner on lap 48.

"I gave it my all. The first stint was poor and that compromised my race," Perez said.

“Max was particularly good today so a well-deserved win for him. We need to analyse what happened today because I didn’t have the pace.”