03/05/2023
NEWS STORY
Fernando Alonso: "It's good to be back in Miami! It's a great place to visit for Formula One and we're excited for our first Grand Prix of the year in the United States. I have always enjoyed visiting this country and I enjoy the approach and passion for sports here. We are fresh from an intense weekend in Baku that saw us score 22 points as a team and finishing just one second away from another podium on Sunday. The car performed well despite having limited time to setup.
"The circuit in Miami is a fast one, with lots of sweeping corners and long straights. It'll be interesting to see if the resurfacing has had an impact on the track and we'll get plenty of time to assess this on Friday. Our performance in Baku was encouraging and I hope to see similar results in Miami. We will be aiming to outscore our closest rivals again and put on a good show for the fans."
Lance Stroll: "It's great to be in Miami and to be getting straight back behind the wheel after a busy weekend in Azerbaijan. It's always incredible to see just how much the sport's popularity has grown in the US and I love seeing the grandstands packed full of fans. Hopefully we can put on a good show for them!
"I have mixed emotions from last year; I had to start from the pits due to an issue before the race, but managed to fight back through the field and finished in tenth which was a pretty good result. The track itself is fast but hard: how a street circuit should be. You need to take some risks but you can get punished for overstepping the mark. That's how I like it, though! As always, we'll be pushing hard this weekend to ensure we come away from the double-header knowing we made the most of every possible opportunity to score points."
Insight and Speed with Cognizant
Strategy: C2, C3 and C4 tyres have been allocated for this weekend, the same as last year's Miami Grand Prix. A one-stop strategy was the preferred strategy in 2022, although, at approximately 20 seconds, the pit-loss to change tyres at the Miami International Autodrome is below the season average.
Safety Cars: Last year's race featured one Safety Car and one Virtual Safety Car. There are plenty of walls and barriers close to the track increasing the likelihood of an interruption during the race. Every race so far in 2023 has featured at least one SC or VSC intervention.
Overtaking: There are three DRS zones, the first two of which have been shortened by 75 metres this year. There were 45 passes made in last year's race, with 17 taking place at the race start and restart. Turn 11 is the preferred spot for passing.