While Oscar Piastri signed the best time of the free session disputed at the start of the day in the United States, it is McLaren F1 which acts as a favorite for this first timed session of the Miami Grand Prix, since it’s the time of the Sprint Shootout!
Indeed, it is the qualification for the sprint, which will take place tomorrow at 6 p.m. French time, which takes place to conclude this first day of action on the Miami International Autodrome. And the battle promises to be tough!
Charles Leclerc seemed to be in good shape with his Ferrari during free tests, just like Max Verstappen and the Williams F1 drivers, which completed the Top 5. Isack Hadjar was fast, and the Mercedes hid their game by not fitting medium tires.
It is recalled that the rule is special for the Sprint qualifier, which takes place in three phases of 12, 10 and 8 minutes, since the first two parts are made of medium tires, and that the last one is done with tender gums.
10:15 p.m.: McLaren received a warning for leaving tools in the cockpit of the Lando Norris car during EL. The team having admitted a very rare error, the race management did not deem it useful to apply a sanction.
22h20 : The race management, on the other hand, penalized Haas of 7,500 euros for not having warned Esteban Ocon that Norris arrived in his retro, the Frenchman having embarrassed the McLaren driver.
22h25: Christian Horner, the director of Red Bull, still campaigns for a change of engine regulations for 2026. In the middle of rumors and rumors of paddock on big difficulties concerning the engine of Red Bull Powerrains and Ford, the position of the British is quite ironic, when he was the first to say “Change your car” In Toto Wolff in 2022, when Red Bull had successfully completed his car, unlike Mercedes …
22h28: On the Alpine side, the main team Oliver Oakes ensures that the information of the sponsor of Franco Colapinto according to which the Argentinian would replace Jack Doohan in the next race in Imola is false. According to him, the Australian will always be driving in Italy!
22h29: Red Bull brought a new floor during a Sprint weekend, but Paul Monaghan, team engineering director, explains how it is not a problem: “It is reasonably stable. We can use it with a relatively low risk because it is a sprint. This is an opportunity to do it, and we have been able to do it. The stability of the flow is unchanged. We therefore do not fear that there is aerodynamic instability or anything like this. It can continue to work and it will give us a few pounds of charge and we will take advantage of it.”
22h30: Make way for the qualification session for the sprint!
SQ1 – 12 minutes – Pneus mediums
22h33: Yuki Tsunoda wants to change his helmet after his first relay because of the strong wind that blows in Miami, and which is surely incompatible with the aractions of the helmet chosen for this first run.
22h35: Nico Hülkenberg signed a 1 “28” 911, beaten by Verstappen in 1’27 “953. Carlos Sainz did better than the Sauber in 1’28” 802, but far from Verstappen, and Alex Albon approached in 1’28 “429. Tsunoda did not succeed in more than 1’29.
22h36: Pierre Gasly placed fourth behind the Williams, and Fernando Alonso took the third time between Albon and Sainz. Lewis Hamilton placed himself second, and Leclerc placed himself at a tenth of his teammate.
22h37: Norris took the lead in 1’27 “890, and Piastri finished with the third time. Andrea Kimi Antonelli took the best time in 1’27” 858, and George Russell did not do better than fifth.
22h39: Leclerc and Bortoleto hit the wall and worry about the health of their car, while Hadjar saw his time canceled for non-compliance with track limits.
22h40 : All the pilots come out when there are less than 3 minutes left in this SQ1.
22h42: Piastri has improved and went back to Verstappen. Lance Stroll did not do better than 15th, and Hülkenberg finished with the ninth time. Bortoleto did not do better than 18th.
-22h43: Hadjar made a very impressive time with eighth place, and Alonso did better in 10th place. Tsunoda did not do a time and does not do better than 18th with the Red Bull. Russell took the best time in 1’27 “688, and Albon the third. Sainz was fifth between the McLaren.
The eliminated were Stroll, Doohan, Tsunoda, Bortoleto and Bearman.
22h47: Doohan is furious because he could not make a last time, having been sent late by his team on track. The Australian has bitten a completely justified anger in his radio. Tsunoda could not do a time either, embarrassed by … Verstappen. Worse, the Dutchman also embarrassed Norris and Stroll in the last turn.
SQ2 – 10 minutes – Pneus mediums
22h53: Russell signed the first time in 1’27 “789, beaten by Antonelli in 1’27” 727! Verstappen is interspersed between the two Mercedes.
22h54: Albon is the fourth in front of Hamilton, and Norris does better in 1’27 “537! But Piastri beats him in 1’27” 354. Leclerc is not better than sixth, two places ahead of Hamilton. Russell complains that he does not like the tire he has on his car.
22h59: Piastri is the only one who has not come out. Verstappen takes the best time in 1’27 “245, and Gasly signs the eighth time ahead of Hamilton.
23h00: Norris has the best time in 1’27 “109, Hülkenberg takes the seventh time in front of Ocon, and Leclerc dates back to fourth row. Hadjar is seventh, Alonso finished with his turn and takes the seventh time in turn, and Sainz is idling when he has no time!
23h01: Antonelli is a final time and goes back fourth, Lawson takes the 14th time only, and Albon goes up seventh. Hamilton is sixth and saves a passage in SQ3!
The eliminated are Hülkenberg, Ocon, Gasly, Lawson and Sainz.
23h03: Sainz actually drew straight into his rapid turn, so he aborted his attempt. He will be 15th on the sprint grid, while his teammate is in SQ3.
SQ3 – 8 minutes – Soft tires
23h09: Verstappen and Russell are the only ones on track and they will be the only two to make two attempts. The Red Bull driver signs a time of 1’27 “070, and Russell does better in 1’26” 791!
23h12: The pilots are bothering out of the stands. Verstappen stayed on the track to directly make a second round, while Russell is still in the stands.
23h14: Russell will not make any other quick turn!
23h15: All the pilots will be able to make a time, it went to 2 seconds for Hadjar!
23h16: Albon and Alonso are third and fourth, and Hamilton is in front of Hamilton. But Verstappen does better in 1’26 “7, but he was beaten by Antonelli in 1’26” 482! Norris does not better than Antonelli, just like Piastri who are behind the Italian in the same tenth!
Antonelli signs the pole position of the Miami sprint! At 18, this is the first competitive session that the Italian wins, and he will be in the lead on the grid of the sprint tomorrow. He will ahead of Piastri, Norris, Verstappen and Russell. Leclerc will be sixth in front of Hamilton, then Albon, Hadjar and Alonso!
