Max Verstappen tipped to have the edge on Charles Leclerc at Miami Grand Prix

Leclerc and Verstappen have shared two wins each so far in the 2022 season

Verstappen and Leclerc have led the way so far this season (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Max Verstappen has the edge over Charles Leclerc heading into the Miami Grand Prix this weekend, according to former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

Reigning world champion Verstappen claimed victory last time out in Italy as he cut the gap to Leclerc in the drivers’ standings to 27 points.

The Dutchman’s win was his second of the season - his first coming in Saudi Arabia. Leclerc has also won two races in Bahrain and Australia, but has been able to move clear of Verstappen due to the Red Bull driver failing to finish both of those races.

Yet despite Ferrari’s Leclerc leading the standings heading to Florida, Montoya feels Verstappen has the edge and believes Leclerc’s spin late on in the Emilia Romagna GP - which saw him drop from third to sixth - gives his rival the upper hand.

Speaking to VegasInsider, the seven-time Grand Prix winner said: “If I was a betting person, I would probably put my money on Max.

“I think Charles [Leclerc], with the crash, unless the team went to him and said ‘just keep pushing, don’t worry about it’.

“If they said that to him, he could still win the race. But my money would be on Max this week. Especially with the Miami weather.”

It is already shaping up to be a fight between Leclerc and Verstappen for the 2022 drivers’ championship.

Seven-time winner Lewis Hamilton has already ruled himself out of contention following his 13th place finish at Imola.

He said after that race: “I am out of the championship, and there’s no question about that. It has been a weekend to forget.”