After the rain this morning, the sun was back for the qualifications of the Miami Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso were able to line up at the start of the session, after the damage experienced during the Sprint race.
During his first attempt, Lewis Hamilton made a big blockage at the end of a straight line, which rejected him in 15th position. But his last attempt was sufficient to go back to the hierarchy. Likewise, Yuki Tsunoda was once again threatened but managed to go up in ninth position. The Japanese therefore avoided undergoing the same fate as during the Sprint qualifications.
In difficulty yesterday, Jack Doohan reacted well and managed to sign the thirteenth time while Pierre Gasly did not do better than 17th. Similarly, at Sauber, Gabriel Bortoleto ranked eleventh while Nico Hülkenberg was the first eliminated because of an exit from turn 19 a little too wide. If Esteban Ocon managed to save himself with the fifteenth time for only 23 thousandths of a second, Oliver Bearman closed the walk.
The eliminated from Q1 are : Hülisberg, alonso, gasly, stroll it bearman.
During the Q2, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton decided to leave with a worn tender train. This placed the Mercedes pilot in the red zone, with the eleventh time while Kimi Antonelli continued on his positive momentum yesterday with third time, behind the two McLaren Intouchable. But during the second attempt, he was able to do better than his teammate.
Conversely, Lewis Hamilton failed to improve, which rejected him in twelfth place. It was the first time since he joined Ferrari that he has failed to rank in Q3 but the overall performance of red and blue single -seaters seems to be behind since Charles Leclerc complained that he could not do better than eighth. On the other hand, Esteban Ocon managed to rank in tenth place, which is reflected in its first Q3 within its new team. He was ahead of his compatriot Isack Hadjar for only two hundredths of a second.
-As for Liam Lawson, he had to face a problem on his battery and therefore ranked fifteenth.
The eliminated from Q2 are : Hadjar, Hamilton, Bortoleto, Doohan et Lawson.
During the first assault in the last part of the session, it was Max Verstappen who was able to be the fastest, only three thousandths before Lando Norris (with a blockage in the turn 17) and 17 thousandths in front of Oscar Piastri (who took off in the chicane of the turn 15)! Charles Leclerc went straight to the end of the straight line and decided to stop his turn.
Max Verstappen was able to do even better in his last lap, which was sufficient to withstand the improvements of the two McLaren pilots. But Kimi Antonelli was then able to improve in turn, to slip between the two McLaren. With the third step, he signed the best qualification of his short career in F1, confirming his form displayed during the Sprint qualifications. He can even have regrets since he was only two thousandths of the first line!
Williams may have a smile with the sixth and seventh places of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon. The team can hope to score big points, after losing a great opportunity with the Thai penalty during the Sprint race.
On the other hand, the rhythm of Ferrari is more and more worrying, with Charles Leclerc unable to do better than eighth in the regular. He is only ahead of Esteban Ocon and Yuki Tsunoda, again in net withdrawal from his teammate.
