Leclerc Tops Extended Miami Practice Ahead of Verstappen

Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in Miami's extended 90-minute practice session, leading Max Verstappen by nearly three tenths of a second as teams returned from a five-week break to test major upgrades. Oscar Piastri was third for McLaren, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli showed early pace before a power unit issue halted his run.

Why it matters:

This session was the first real test for teams after a long development break, serving as a crucial data-gathering opportunity ahead of a Sprint weekend where practice time is limited. The results hint at Ferrari's strong one-lap potential and reveal early reliability concerns for Mercedes and Aston Martin, setting the stage for a competitive and potentially unpredictable qualifying session.

The details:

• The session was extended to 90 minutes to compensate for the long break, recent rule tweaks, and the compressed Sprint weekend schedule.
• Aston Martin's delayed start: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll began the session in the garage due to a Honda power unit issue, joining the track significantly later than their rivals.
• Mercedes' mixed fortunes: Championship leader Kimi Antonelli led the timesheets midway through the session but later lost his soft-tyre run to a power unit investigation. Teammate George Russell struggled with handling and flat-spotted his tires.
• Tire strategy divergence: Most front-runners, including Leclerc, used the C3 Hard compound for their baseline runs. The Red Bulls of Verstappen and Isack Hadjar focused on the C4 Mediums, while Aston Martin was first to sample the Soft tires.
• Final order: Leclerc's best time of 1:29.310s on Softs secured the top spot over Verstappen and Piastri. Lewis Hamilton was fourth, with the hampered Antonelli finishing fifth.

What's next:

The immediate focus shifts to Friday afternoon's qualifying, which will set the grid for Sunday's Grand Prix. The limited practice data means teams will head into the session with significant unknowns regarding tire performance and long-run pace. Furthermore, the truncated schedule puts a premium on nailing the car setup quickly, with Saturday's Sprint Shootout and Sprint Race offering no room for error and the first points of the weekend up for grabs.