Karun Chandhok believes Max Verstappen's early spin in the Miami Grand Prix cost him a real shot at a podium finish—a missed opportunity that could have shifted the race's narrative entirely.

Starting from the front row for the first time this season, Verstappen's race unraveled almost immediately. He lost ground at the start and spun dramatically at Turn 1, somehow avoiding damage despite sliding into oncoming traffic. It was a rare misstep from the usually flawless Dutchman.

From there, Verstappen mounted a spirited recovery, slicing through the field with aggressive overtakes to finish fifth. A five-second penalty for crossing the pit exit line didn't help, though it ultimately didn't cost him any positions. Still, the early mistake was costly—especially with Red Bull rolling out a suite of upgrades in Miami that seemed to boost his pace.

Not everyone was impressed by his recovery drive. Lando Norris criticized Verstappen's approach, arguing he wasted time in unnecessary midfield battles rather than pushing forward efficiently. Damon Hill echoed that sentiment, and Carlos Sainz also raised questions about some of Verstappen's early moves. While Verstappen did find his rhythm later in the race, the damage was already done.

Speaking after the race, Chandhok shared his insight on Verstappen's mindset. Writing on The Intercooler, he noted: "McLaren has got a few more go-faster bits to come in Canada while Red Bull says it has five fundamental areas of deficit to Mercedes. Red Bull believes that the Miami upgrade dealt with three of them but there are still two key areas where it can unlock additional performance."

He added: "Max Verstappen qualified on the front row, but his early uncharacteristic spin meant we didn't see his full potential in the race. I spoke with Max after the race and got the sense that he didn't think that they could have challenged Kimi or Lando Norris up front but that the final place on the podium would otherwise have been within reach."

It's a tantalizing what-if for Red Bull fans. With the upgrades showing promise, Verstappen's pace suggested a podium was possible—but the spin erased that chance. Meanwhile, on the other side of the garage, rookie Isack Hadjar endured a tough weekend, crashing out on lap four after hitting the inside wall at Turn 14, adding to Red Bull's mixed fortunes in Miami.