Miami Speed Trap: Who is the fastest of them all?

With three long straights and an equal number of DRS zones, Miami's International Autodrome offers good opportunities to showcase a car's top speed.

Ferrari and Red Bull have traded blows in the opening four races of the season, but the Milton Keynes-based outfit's RB18 has the edge over the Scuderia's F1-75 when it comes to maximum velocity.

That virtue was clearly displayed by the bulls in Saturday's qualifying in Florida, with Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen topping the speed trap readings on Miami's sector 3 back straight.

Perez blasts Miami GP track surface: 'It's a joke!'

Both drivers were 4 kph ahead of the field, but on average a whopping 10 kph faster than Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, even despite the latter running a low-drag rear wing in Miami.

And yet Ferrari's chargers locked out the front row in yesterday's shootout, thanks to their F1-75 traction and phenomenal grip around the corners.

But as Leclerc warned after qualifying, Red Bull's top speed is no joke and keeping Max behind is likely to be a complicated task on Sunday, but one that might be helped by some handy strategy.

With tyre degradation over the course of the 57-lap race still an unknown quantity, the jury is still out as to whether a two-stopper should be the norm versus a one-stop race.

But uncertainty is what keeps us riveted to the show…

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.