Charles Leclerc posted the quickest lap in the sole practice session for the Miami Grand Prix, driving a heavily upgraded Ferrari that clearly out‑performed the competition. His two best times were fast enough to leave Red Bull’s Max Verstappen trailing by 0.297 seconds, suggesting that Mercedes may no longer hold the outright speed advantage as the evening sprint‑qualifying session approaches at 9:30 pm on Friday, broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
The practice results also highlighted the performance of the McLaren pair. Oscar Piastri managed to secure third place, but his teammate Lando Norris appeared even more competitive.
Norris would likely have been right on Leclerc’s heels if not for a brief encounter with traffic and a near‑miss involving Williams driver Alex Albon, which forced him to lift off the accelerator for a moment. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, was 0.467 seconds slower than Leclerc and spent the entire 90‑minute session in the shadow of his Ferrari teammate.
This mirrors the pattern seen at the previous race weekend in Japan, where Hamilton also struggled to match the pace of his rival. Mercedes entered the weekend on the back of three consecutive Grand Prix victories and an unbeaten record in competitive sessions this year. However, the team has introduced the fewest upgrades of any front‑running constructor. Their only modifications so far consist of a revised front‑corner assembly and a new rear‑pipe, whereas rivals such as McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari have brought entirely new floor designs to Miami.
George Russell’s lap placed him sixth, roughly eight‑tenths of a second off the leading time. He was behind his teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who recorded his best effort on the hard compound after a power‑unit issue prevented a soft‑tyre run.
The same power‑unit problem has become a growing concern for Mercedes, especially after Russell reported hearing an unusual noise from the turbo that resembled a "steam‑engine" sound. This anomaly could indicate a deeper reliability issue that the team will need to address before the sprint race.
In the drivers’ standings, Antonelli currently leads Russell by nine points, but the weekend’s challenges may prevent the Mercedes duo from consolidating their positions. Sky Sports F1 analyst Karun Chandhok questioned the state of Mercedes’ package, asking whether Russell might be sandbagging or dealing with a set‑up problem that is hampering his performance. He suggested that, if Mercedes cannot resolve these issues, three other teams could now join the fight for podiums.
The five‑week hiatus since the Japanese Grand Prix gave every team a substantial window to develop their cars. All teams except Aston Martin introduced upgrades for the Miami event.
Ferrari was the most aggressive, fitting eleven new components, a strategy that appears to have paid dividends. The fresh floor and revised suspension have reportedly increased downforce, allowing Leclerc to extract blistering speed from a car that was already strong in the corners. McLaren also arrived with significant updates, and the team’s progress over the weekend was evident. At the previous race in Japan, McLaren had already begun to close the gap to Mercedes, and Norris’s strong practice showing in Miami suggests that the British outfit could be ready to challenge for a second victory at a circuit that delivered his maiden Grand Prix win earlier in the 2024 season.
Red Bull, while still roughly a second off the leading pace on average, appears to have narrowed that gap. Verstappen may benefit from a more balanced car, giving him the confidence to push harder in the sprint and the main race. Team principal Laurent Mekies told Sky Sports F1 that the focus of the practice session was primarily internal – the team wanted to assess the impact of the extensive upgrades after a long break.
He noted that in China and Japan, various factors had prevented Max Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez from extracting full performance, and that the current work aims to remove those constraints. Looking ahead, the schedule for the weekend is packed: - Friday, May 1: 7:25 pm – F2 Qualifying; 8:10 pm – Team Bosses’ Press Conference; 8:40 pm – Miami GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 9:30 pm) - Saturday, May 2: 2:55 pm – F2 Sprint; 4:00 pm – Miami GP Sprint build‑up; 5:00 pm – Miami GP Sprint; 6:30 pm – Ted’s Sprint Notebook; 8:00 pm – Miami GP Qualifying build‑up; 9:00 pm – Miami GP Qualifying; 11:00 pm – Ted’s Qualifying Notebook - Sunday, May 3: 5:25 pm – F2 Feature Race; 7:00 pm – Miami GP build‑up and Grand Prix; 9:00 pm – The Miami Grand Prix; 11:00 pm – Miami GP reaction and Chequered Flag; 12:00 am – Ted’s Notebook All of the above events will also be simulcast on Sky Sports Main Event. The 2026 Formula 1 season resumes in Miami with a sprint weekend, and fans can watch the live action on Sky Sports F1.
For those who prefer streaming, the Sky Sports channel is available via the NOW platform, offering a contract‑free option that can be cancelled at any time. In summary, the practice session has set the tone for an intriguing weekend.
Ferrari’s aggressive upgrade program has delivered immediate speed, putting Leclerc at the front of the pack. Mercedes, despite its early-season dominance, faces technical hiccups that could compromise its sprint‑qualifying performance. McLaren and Red Bull are both showing signs of progress, and the upcoming sprint race promises to be a tightly contested affair that could reshuffle the championship order before the main Grand Prix on Sunday.