Four different machines in 189 thousandths. Max Verstappen topped the timesheets in the only free practice session of the Miami GP with a time of 1’28″595 achieved on the soft tyres. The Dutchman was 1″7 faster than in FP1 last year with a Red Bull that only found the right pace at the end of the session, given that Max complained of tire overheating and lockups when braking. Problems resolved before the checkered flag, also because the Milton Keynes team carried out a mini long run to understand tire wear.
Oscar Piastri emerged behind Verstappen with the McLaren equipped with only half a development package which the Woking team brought complete for Lando Norris, despite the American race offering a sprint race format. The Australian with 1’28″700 came within 105 thousandths of the RB20, while Lando decided to abort his best lap due to a snag at turn 17 after demonstrating that the new features on the MCL38 seem to be working. The Englishman had complained at the beginning of the session due to a steering problem which was harder when turning left than right.
Behind Piastri is Ferrari: Carlos Sainz is only 11 thousandths behind McLaren. The Spaniard took his time despite a mistake at the start of the session. The redhead (with blue puffs) immediately seemed at ease on the Florida citizen, given that the Madrilenian was competitive even with the hard compound. Charles Leclerc, however, did badly as he spun before the tunnel at the start of lap 3: the Monegasque did well to avoid crashing into the barriers at the narrowest point of the track, but remained sideways on the asphalt, while the other single-seaters were arriving.
For two minutes the race direction left the yellow flag and for two minutes Leclerc was unable to move due to the arrival of the other cars. When the session was stopped with the red flag, Leclerc had already overheated the clutch, so the pit wall ordered him to turn off the power unit to avoid damage. Session over, without having any feeling on a track that is difficult to assimilate. The mistake, trivial but serious, makes Charles’ approach to qualifying for the race with a Ferrari that seems competitive very difficult.
George Russell is fourth with 1’28″784: the Englishman from Mercedes drew good impressions from the Mercedes W15 equipped with substantial technical innovations which seem to have reduced the problems of the first races. Lewis Hamilton couldn’t find the lap, suffering some lock-ups at front so he finished seventh, but the seven-time world champion didn’t seem worried about the three tenths taken by George.
Lance Stroll did very well with the Aston Martin: the Canadian was fifth on the soft tires ahead of the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez, while Fernando Alonso gave up the soft compound, preferring to work for the race with the hard ones: no serprenda, therefore , see him only 19th.
Yuki Tsunoda’s performance with Racing Bulls was positive: the Japanese with yellow tires was eighth ahead of the two Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. The A524 seems to be growing and certainly not due to the arrival of Sanchez as technical director.
Daniel Ricciardo remains outside the top 10 with the other car from Faenza and precedes the two Haas of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg. Alex Albon was satisfied with the Williams 14th, while Logan Sargeant was 18th. Lando Norris, as we said, was 16th and remained sandwiched between the two Saubers of Guanyu Zhou and Valtteri Bottas.
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