Leclerc Tops Miami FP1 for Ferrari, Beats Verstappen in Extended Session

Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the extended first practice session for the Miami Grand Prix, signaling strong early form for Ferrari's latest upgrades. Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull, three-tenths adrift, with Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton completing the top four in the sole practice before Sprint Qualifying.

Why it matters:

With only one hour of practice before the competitive sessions begin on this Sprint weekend, early pace and data collection are critical. Leclerc's performance suggests Ferrari's significant upgrade package, brought to Miami, is working effectively from the outset, potentially closing the gap to Red Bull. This session offered the only chance for teams to test their new parts and find a baseline setup under the revised weekend format.

The details:

• The FIA added 30 minutes to the single practice session (making it 90 minutes total) to compensate for the reduced track time on a Sprint weekend, giving teams a crucial window to gather data.
• Ferrari's Promise: Leclerc led for the majority of the session, ultimately setting a benchmark of 1:29.310. His pace indicates Ferrari's new floor and bodywork updates are providing an immediate performance boost.
• Chasing Pack: Max Verstappen was the closest challenger in the upgraded Red Bull, 0.297 seconds behind. Oscar Piastri was third for McLaren, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the second Ferrari.
• Session Disruptions: Several drivers faced issues that limited their running. Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli, driving in FP1, took an impressive P5 but missed valuable soft tyre running due to a car issue. Both George Russell (P6) and Lando Norris (P7) made mistakes on their own fast laps, leaving potential time on the table.
• Driver Academy Runs: The session featured several young drivers as part of the mandatory FP1 rookie runs. Red Bull's Isack Hadjar impressed by placing ninth, while others like Oliver Bearman (Haas) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) gained experience further down the order.

What's next:

The pressure now intensifies with no further practice time. The focus immediately shifts to Sprint Qualifying (SQ) later today, which will set the grid for Saturday's Sprint Race.

• Teams must now analyze their data and make setup decisions based on a single session, a high-stakes engineering challenge.
• The true competitive order will begin to clarify in SQ, revealing if Ferrari can maintain its Friday form when it counts and if Red Bull has more pace to unlock.
• The Sprint Race on Saturday will offer the first real-world racing test of the new upgrades before the main Grand Prix qualifying and race on Sunday.