Miami Grand Prix: Norris can pick up another podium

- Max Verstappen has won both previous races in Miami but has never claimed pole
- Lando Norris has finished in the top three in two of the last three Grand Prix races
- Recommended bets:
- Lando Norris podium finish
- Esteban Ocon top-10 finish

Max Verstappen is a warm favourite to tighten his grip on the championship when F1 visits the Sunshine State for this week's Miami Grand Prix.

But while it is hard to see beyond another easy win for the Red Bull ace there is likely plenty going on behind him to keep us interested.

The stats

This is the third Miami Grand Prix, but the first to be run under the Sprint weekend format.

Verstappen has won all four races he has finished this season.

For the first time this season, no Ferrari driver stood on the podium in China last time.

Nico Hulkenberg has points finishes in three of the last four races.

The first five races of the season have seen three different drivers claim a fastest lap.

McLaren have taken pole position for three of the last four Sprint races.

Prediction

McLaren will have been disappointed with the way they started the season given how strong they were in the second half of last year, but there are signs they are getting back to where they want to be.

Lando Norris in particular is really getting a handle on the new car, and utilised a good strategy in China to snatch second position ahead of Red Bull's Sergio Perez and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

In a race in which Verstappen suffers no dramas, that is the best anyone can hope for, for now.

McLaren have tended to excel on sprint weekends, when the teams have only a single hour to set up their cars before the first competitive session, and that is a glowing reflection on their technical department.

So too is the fact that McLaren's upgrades tend to bring instant and significant results, and their immediate rivals will be wary of the fact that the Woking outfit have some new parts on their cars in Miami, which, like China last time, is another Sprint event.

There is every reason to expect another strong showing from the papaya cars and Norris should be able to go close to collecting his third podium of the season.

Alpine were expected to make a step backwards this season and so it has proved but they had a more encouraging weekend in China.

With an upgraded car, Esteban Ocon finished 11th, just 2.5 seconds away from a points-paying position.

The team will have learned a lot from that outing and Ocon looks worth considering at a very big price to pick up the team's first point of the season in Miami.

Back Lando Norris Podium Finish at 11/8 with LiveScore Bet.

Back Esteban Ocon Top 10 Finish at 10/1 with LiveScore Bet.