Max Verstappen survives late Charles Leclerc onslaught to win Miami Grand Prix

Max Verstappen survived a late onslaught from Charles Leclerc to win Formula One’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix.

The world champion started third, but raced past Carlos Sainz at the opening bend before taking Leclerc in the other Ferrari on lap nine.

A ten-lap shootout following a safety car period provided a dramatic end, but Verstappen held his nerve. Leclerc took the runner-up spot with Sainz completing the podium.

Sergio Perez took fourth ahead of George Russell. Lewis Hamilton started sixth and finished in the same position after he was usurped by a freshly-shod Russell with nine laps to run.

“Strategy has not been kind to me, man,” he said over the radio. Russell has now finished ahead of Hamilton at every race bar one, with the seven-time world champion 68 points behind Leclerc after just five rounds.

The stars of sport and showbiz flocked to Florida for F1’s first race at the Hard Rock Stadium, 15 miles north of Downtown Miami.

NBA great Michael Jordan, Grand Slam champions Serena and Venus Williams, former England captain David Beckham, Hollywood’s Matt Damon and pop star Pharrell Williams led the cast on a celebrity-fuelled and manic pre-race grid.

But when the lights flicked from red to green, the initial action on track provided less entertainment.

Hamilton has won six times and sealed two of his seven titles in the land of the free. But those triumphs will feel like a distant memory for Briton’s record-breaking star.

Hamilton’s Mercedes is no longer F1’s tour de force, and by lap 20 he was already half a second behind Verstappen.

Hamilton’s getaway was strong, drawing alongside former team-mate Valtteri Bottas on the short run to the opening chicane.

But Hamilton locked up, losing a spot to Pierre Gasly before