Oscar Piastri Leads Miami Grand Prix Practice Session with Impressive Time
Oscar Piastri showcased his speed during the single practice session held for the Miami Grand Prix on the afternoon of Friday, May 2, at the Miami International Circuit in Florida. This event marks the second sprint format race of the season, following Lewis Hamilton’s victory in China. The atmosphere at the Miami Grand Prix is electric, with fans and teams eagerly awaiting the weekend’s events.
During the practice session, the McLaren driver clocked an impressive lap time of 1:27.128, placing him at the top of the leaderboard. Following closely behind was Charles Leclerc from Ferrari, who finished with a time that was 0.356 seconds slower than Piastri. Max Verstappen from Red Bull Racing secured the third position, trailing the session leader by 0.430 seconds.
The practice session experienced a disruption towards the end, just over three minutes remaining, when Oliver Bearman lost control of his Haas in the final sector and collided with the barriers while reversing. This incident led to a red flag, which curtailed the remaining practice time and resulted in the session being concluded early.
Lando Norris, competing in the second McLaren MCL39, appeared poised to post a competitive time using soft tires. However, the incident involving Bearman in the closing minutes hindered his ability to complete a fast lap. Despite being on a promising quick lap, Norris finished the session in 12th place, a few tenths behind his teammate Piastri.
One of the notable surprises of the session was Alex Albon, who managed to place his Williams in fifth position, just behind his teammate Carlos Sainz. The rookie driver Isack Hadjar, racing for the Racing Bulls team, also made waves by securing sixth place, demonstrating his potential on the track.
Mercedes drivers George Russell and the debuting Kimi Antonelli finished in seventh and ninth positions, respectively, with Yuki Tsunoda from Red Bull slotting in between them. Fernando Alonso, representing Aston Martin, rounded out the top ten, showcasing his consistent performance.
Lewis Hamilton, a prominent figure in Formula 1, faced challenges in achieving a competitive time with soft tires due to the red flag incident, ultimately finishing in 13th place. The Alpine team also struggled during the session; Pierre Gasly recorded the 17th fastest time, while rookie Jack Doohan placed 19th, both running on medium compound tires.
Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto completed the practice session in 15th place. In the final moments, he was narrowly surpassed by his Sauber teammate Nico Hülkenberg, who edged him out by just 0.098 seconds.
As the excitement builds for the Miami Grand Prix, the Formula 1 teams and drivers will return on Friday for the Sprint Qualifying session, which sets the starting grid for the Sprint race scheduled for 5:30 PM Brasília time. Fans can stay updated with real-time coverage of the Miami Grand Prix on F1Mania.net.
Practice Session Results for the Miami Grand Prix:
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:27.128
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:27.484
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – 1:27.558
- Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes) – 1:27.678
- Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes) – 1:27.955
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – 1:27.968
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:28.058
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – 1:28.155
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:28.227
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – 1:28.243
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – 1:28.374
- Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:28.391
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 1:28.556
- Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari) – 1:28.573
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber/Ferrari) – 1:28.771
- Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari) – 1:28.996
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Renault) – 1:29.084
- Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari) – 1:29.179
- Jack Doohan (Alpine/Renault) – 1:29.357
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – 1:29.362
As the event unfolds, the anticipation for the upcoming qualifying and sprint races will only intensify. Fans and teams alike are keen to see how the results will impact the overall championship standings as the season progresses. With the Miami Grand Prix being a unique addition to the calendar, it promises an exhilarating weekend of racing filled with unpredictable moments and fierce competition. The eyes of the motorsport world will be on Miami as the drivers battle it out on the track, striving for excellence and aiming for podium finishes.
