Charles Leclerc was fastest in an extended practice session for the Miami Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver set a 29.310 to put himself nearly three tenths faster than Max Verstappen, with the McLaren of Oscar Piastri third, a further tenth and a quarter behind. Leclerc set his fastest time right at the end of the session after getting a tow from Lando Norris, moving him up from third.
Leclerc’s two fastest laps were good enough to top the times, but the early indication as the sport resumes after the spring break is that Mercedes is no longer the team to beat on outright pace. McLaren has brought what they’ve described as ‘half a new car’, and it certainly delivered as the car looked to have closed the gap.
Lewis Hamilton put his Ferrari fourth fastest after he struggled to get the lap together after going fastest in the first sector, which left the seven-time champion over four and a half tenths off his teammate. But Hamilton was three tenths faster than the championship favourites Mercedes, the championship leader Kimi Antonelli was three tenths behind and teammate George Russel two hundredths further behind.
Mercedes, which had been unbeaten in competitive sessions this year, but have brought the fewest number of upgrades of the top teams. There were troubles for the works team. Russell had a turbo issue early on, but when the system was reset, he could only manage a time eight-tenths slower than Leclerc.
Meanwhile, Antonelli, who did not get a chance to run on the soft tyres at the end of the session, because Mercedes was investigating an engine problem on his car. In Sakhir testing, the Mercedes proved quick but fragile, but that was three months ago, before the race in April was cancelled due to the war in Iran.
The Silver Arrows only have a revised front corner and new tailpipe compared to the new floors on the McLarens, Red Bulls and Ferraris. Lando Norris completed the top four teams in seventh going a tenth behind Russell. Questions will be asked if the advantage of Mercedes has been overturned after just three rounds.
All three of the rivals to Mercedes have appeared to have made a step forward, but how this plays out when the next big upgrades come at the next traditional race in Barcelona in mid-June could be key in the way this season unfolds.
Ferrari has the most, with eleven new parts, and it seems to have paid off, given Leclerc’s blistering pace in a car that was already strong in the corners. The new floor and suspension on the Ferrari appear to have given them even more downforce, while McLaren and Red Bull have also come to Miami with effectively new cars.
In the break, a raft of regulations were changed, and several upgrades were brought, meaning the session was extended to ninety minutes. It resulted in a busy start to the session as teams largely stuck to the hard tyre in a window which lasted for much of the session, with Leclerc fastest on a 29.855.
Pierre Gasly was the best of the rest, going eighth; he was outside the top four teams as he continued Alpine’s strong start to the season. The Frenchman was nearly three tenths faster than Isack Hadjar, with Carlos Sainz completing the top ten after the Williams driver went around six tenths behind. Both Red Bulls appeared to struggle with shifting.
Franco Colapinto went eleventh; the Argentine missed out of the top ten by eight and a half hundredths as he managed to split the Williams duo, as he went nearly a hundredth faster than Alex Albon. Ollie Bearman returned to the track for the first time since his huge crash in Suzuka, going seven hundredths behind Albon.
The Audi duo split the Haas, Gabriel Bortoleto going nearly half a second faster than his teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, who was four hundredths faster than Esteban Ocon. Liam Lawson put his Racing Bull four tenths further behind.
Sergio Perez was over half a second faster than Fernando Alonso, the Aston Martin splitting the Cadaliacs as he went over a tenth and a half ahead of Valtteri Bottas. Arvid Lindblad was nearly a tenth faster than Lance Stroll.
