Oscar Piastri topped the sole practice session at the Miami Grand Prix as Oliver Bearman’s crash prevented much of the field from completing their preparations for Sprint Qualifying later on Friday.
With the drivers having just 60 minutes to prepare for the rest of the weekend, the soft-tyre qualifying simulations had been left to the final 10 minutes of the session, during which Bearman spun his Haas into the barriers at Turn 12 to trigger a session-ending red flag.
World championship leader Piastri was among the drivers who did complete a flying lap, which put him three tenths of a second clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in second, with Max Verstappen a further tenth back in third for Red Bull.
Lando Norris, Piastri’s McLaren team-mate and nearest championship challenger, was only 12th, having been in the final sector of his first attempt at a flying lap when the red flag was thrown.
Norris had trailed by more than three tenths after the first sector but almost halved that deficit in the second sector, leaving uncertainty over what the ultimate margin between the McLarens would have been.
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Watch the bizarre moment a mechanic left a torch in Lando Norris’ cockpit after he set off to begin practice one at the Miami Grand Prix.
Williams duo Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon were fourth and fifth, respectively, having been one of the first teams to send their cars out on soft tyres.
Lewis Hamilton was another to miss out on the opportunity to complete a flying lap, with the seven-time world champion finishing 13th.
Hamilton’s early-season struggles had shown little sign of abating during medium-tyre running earlier in the session, after which he was eighth.
Mercedes’ George Russell had set the fastest time on the medium compound and finished seventh on the timesheet despite not completing a lap on the softs.
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Lando Norris had to dodge around Esteban Ocon in a close call during practice one at the Miami Grand Prix.
Having achieved two career firsts by winning successive races and becoming world championship leader, Piastri arrived at the sixth round of the season with plenty of momentum, along with a 10-point advantage over Norris.
The Australian did experience a minor scare as he brushed the barriers on his worn medium tyres, but once more appeared comfortable when setting the leading time.
Norris endured an eventful session, which began with the Brit realising during his first lap on track that his mechanics had left some of their tools in his cockpit. He had to immediately return to the pit lane to hand them over, while McLaren were summoned to the stewards for sending the car out in an “unsafe” condition.
Norris then survived a major scare as he almost drove into the back of Esteban Ocon after the Haas had slowed on the racing line on the high-speed approach to Turn 17. The pair thankfully avoided contact, but Ocon was summoned to the stewards to explain himself following the session.
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Ted Kravitz takes us through the major Red Bull upgrade they’ve brought to Miami.
Reigning world champion Verstappen showed no ill-effects from his late arrival at the Miami International Autodrome having missed Thursday media sessions as he remained at home to attend the birth of his first child.
The Dutchman’s Red Bull team are the only front-runners to have brought significant upgrades to Miami, in the form of an updated floor, but the truncated nature of the practice allowance made it difficult to assess the impact.
Sky Sports F1’s Miami GP schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place around the Miami International Autodrome.
Friday May 2
7.30pm: Team Bosses’ Press Conference8.15pm: F1 Academy Practice 29.05pm: Miami GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 9.30pm)
Saturday May 3
3.20pm: F1 Academy Qualifying4pm: MIAMI GP SPRINT (race starts at 5pm)6.30pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook7.50pm: F1 Academy Race 18.35pm: Miami GP Qualifying build-up*9pm: MIAMI GP QUALIFYING*11pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
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The Miami Grand Prix is a unique experience, watch our favourite moments from the last few years!
Sunday May 4
6pm: F1 Academy Race 27.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Miami GP build-up*9pm: The MIAMI GRAND PRIX*11pm: Chequered Flag: Miami GP reaction*Midnight: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 is in Miami for a Sprint weekend, watch it all live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
