The Miami Grand Prix got off to a spectacular start as Ferraris led the first session, with Carlos Sainz posting a 1m31.787s, before Charles Leclerc overtook him with a 1m31.497s. However, their times were still over a second slower than George Russell’s benchmark from FP1. Sergio Perez eventually brought the pace closer, clocking in at 1m30.757s, but Max Verstappen ultimately surpassed him with a time of 1m30.146s.
Norris and Verstappen Battle for Top Spot
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from McLaren challenged Verstappen on their opening laps on soft rubber, with Norris leading the pack with a time of 1m28.741s. Fernando Alonso and Sainz then took turns in the runner-up spot, but Norris was able to defend his top spot, with Verstappen only able to overtake him with a time of 1m27.930s. Leclerc, who was handed a new gearbox prior to the session, ultimately remained third fastest behind Verstappen and Sainz.
The long runs were interrupted when Leclerc crashed his Ferrari into the wall at Turn 7, causing a five-minute delay. However, the session resumed for a last-gasp attempt to collect long-run data. Lewis Hamilton finished in seventh place overall, while Kevin Magnussen finished in 12th place after nearly crashing into the wall.
FP1 leader Russell struggled, only managing to finish in 15th place due to traffic on his hot lap on softs and issues with the car. Perez finished in fourth place, almost half a second behind Verstappen at the end of the session. The Miami Grand Prix promises to be an exciting race, with Verstappen and Norris battling for the top spot.
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