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Perez grabs pole for Miami Grand Prix

Sports Desk, May 6 (EFE).- Mexico’s Sergio “Checo” Perez (Red Bull) took pole position Saturday in qualifying for the Formula One Grand Prix of Miami, while his teammate, defending two-time champion Max Verstappen, had to settle for ninth as Q3 was cut short by a red flag.

Joining the winner of last week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the front row will be Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), winner of the driver’s championship in 2005 and 2006.

Another Spaniard, Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) was third, followed by Danish driver Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Frenchman Pierre Gasly (Alpine), and Briton George Russell (Mercedes).

Last year’s Miami Grand Prix winner, Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), whose spin-out on Turn 4 brought out the red flag, will start Sunday’s race from P7, sharing the fourth row with France’s Esteban Ocon (Alpine).

Joining Verstappen on the fifth row will be Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo).

Neither the Dutchman nor the Finn managed to put in a flying lap in Q3 and the abrupt end to the session denied them the opportunity to try again.

British seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q2 for the first time since the 2022 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Heading into the fifth race of the 2023 season, Verstappen leads the driver standings with 93 points, followed by Perez (87), Alonso (60), and Hamilton (48).

Red Bull have dominated so far, with Verstappen winning in Bahrain and Australia and Perez claiming the honors in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan. EFE arh/dr

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