FORMULA ONE
Sergio Pérez takes pole as Charles Leclerc crash leaves Max Verstappen ninth
Pérez kept up his good run of form after victory last week in Azerbaijan
JARED C TILTON/GETTY IMAGES
The word from Red Bull in recent weeks has been that Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen will fight on an equal footing this season. By grabbing pole position for today’s Miami Grand Prix, Pérez has made it absolutely clear that he is happy to give the world champion a run for his money.
The Mexican took his second victory of the year in Azerbaijan last week and he is obviously enjoying a run of form. He used his street-racing skills to better the rejuvenated Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin by 0.36s, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz taking third on the grid.
Verstappen had some rough luck in Azerbaijan and things did not get any better for him in Florida when the final phase of qualifying was