INTERNATIONAL: Red Bull's Max Verstappen can take another big bite out of Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc's 27-point lead in Miami this weekend as Formula One gets ready to rock around its newest venue.

The pair hava won twice each this season and the fifth round on the fast track laid out around the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins NFL team, could see another big battle between the 24-year-old front-runners.

Verstappen was dominant at Imola in Italy two weeks ago when he won a Saturday sprint from pole and led from start to finish on Sunday while also taking a bonus point for the fastest lap.

That slashed Leclerc's lead from a previous 34 points and the Ferrari driver will be keen to hit back strongly after the team failed to live up to expectations in front of their home crowd.

Struggling Mercedes, the team of seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton who finished a lowly 13th at Imola, will be similarly fired up even if they still have somewhat lower expectations.

Hamilton has a great record in the United States and Mercedes are hoping for clear signs of progress in taming their bouncing car so it can go faster and finally start to reveal its hidden potential.

McLaren, with Briton Lando Norris on the podium at Imola, and Australian Daniel Ricciardo will also fancy their chances of strong points.

The race is a sellout, with 240,000 expected over the three days and a capacity 82,500 on Sunday (May 8) with the sport promising a cast of celebrity guests and a Super Bowl-style atmosphere.

In an attempt to capture the Miami’s vibe, organizers have created a simulated marina with dry-docked yacht and a boarded surface creating the impression of water for the television cameras.