Max Verstappen explains cause of dramatic 360 Miami F1 spin

Max Verstappen has explained the cause of his dramatic 360-degree spin at the start of the Miami Grand Prix.

From second on the grid, Verstappen dived up the inside to take the lead but was forced to check up as Charles Leclerc cut back underneath him on the inside of Turn 2, with the Red Bull spinning in a cloud of smoke right ahead of the pack as he dropped down to the midfield. 

Verstappen ultimately recovered to fifth place, robbing Leclerc's ailing Ferrari on the line, but does face a stewards' investigation for crossing the pit-exit line. 

On that, Verstappen said he "did not know" what the situation was as he attended the stewards after completing his media duties, in which he joked that he could go "rallying if F1 didn't work out" after collecting the 360 spin.

"It was quite hectic, I lost the rear into Turn 2, and then of course I tried to minimise the time loss by doing the 360," Verstappen told media including RacingNews365.

"I thought I was going to crash, so I floored it, and I managed to do a good 360, so yeah, if Formula 1 doesn't work out, I can always go rallying.

"I pushed into the corner, and just lost something, the rear just started to slide, and once it goes with the heavy fuel, it is hard to catch."

"After that, the pace was not too bad on the medium, but as soon as I swapped to the hard compound, it was just a lot more difficult, and now, after the race, it is easy to say, of course, but I think that stint was just a bit too long."

Reflecting on the race to the line with the wounded Ferrari of Leclerc, Verstappen recalled dumping all of his battery.

"I mean, I think Charles' car was broken, so he was just bringing it to the end, and he was using all the battery, as we all did," he said.

"But for whatever reason, I just got him before the line."