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Max Verstappen Shoots Down Miami GP Upgrade Hype With Just Four Words
TL;DR
Max Verstappen dismissed hype about potential upgrades for the Miami GP, humorously stating, 'Don't lie to them!' during an interview. He emphasized that fans shouldn't expect major changes despite the usual pre-race excitement.
Key points
- Max Verstappen dismissed upgrade hype for Miami GP
- He humorously told an interviewer, 'Don't lie to them!'
- The break before the Miami GP lasted five weeks
Mentioned in this story
Max Verstappen
Miami GPFormula 1
Five weeks without a Grand Prix is an eternity in a sport that depends on weekly content, and the broadcasters know it. The standard reentry routine involves a presenter promising viewers that everything has changed, that upgrade packages have rewritten the order, that the FIAâs regulation tweaks will produce a fresh grid on Sunday. Max Verstappen, sitting in front of a beIN Sports camera in the Miami paddock with a Red Bull can in hand, declined to play along.
The interviewer started by telling Verstappen the audience hadnât seen Formula 1 in four or five weeks and that the team was preparing them for something crazy, a shaken-up order, regulation changes. Verstappen, mid-sip, cut him off with a grin.
âDonât lie to them!â
It got a laugh before the Dutchman actually answered the question in full.
What Verstappen Actually Thinks Will Happen
Asked whether the FIAâs adjustments and team upgrades could meaningfully reshuffle things, the Red Bull driver gave the kind of reply that doesnât make for a thrilling race promo.
âI mean I would hope so, but Iâm also not delusional,â he said. âI hope that we can⊠I hope we can be a little bit closer. I donât think weâre gonna massively change in our, in the ranking, but I just want to be closer to the, to the top three teams and basically escape a little bit the, the midfield. That will be nice.â
That is, by some distance, the most honest pre-race assessment any driver has offered this weekend.
Verstappen is ninth in the standings heading into Miami and has yet to score a podium in 2026, and Red Bull sit sixth in the constructorsâ, behind both Haas and Alpine.
Q&A
What did Max Verstappen say about Miami GP upgrades?
Max Verstappen humorously stated, 'Don't lie to them!' when asked about the hype surrounding potential upgrades for the Miami GP.
Why is there hype around upgrades before the Miami GP?
The hype typically stems from broadcasters and teams trying to generate excitement after a break, suggesting that upgrades and regulation changes could alter the race order.
How long was the break before the Miami GP?
The break before the Miami GP lasted five weeks, which is considered a long time in Formula 1 due to the sport's weekly schedule.
