Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Miami Grand Prix

  • Round 4 – Miami Grand Prix

    Kimi Antonelli has taken victory in an action packed Miami Grand Prix, the Italian resisting pressure from Lando Norris to seal his third consecutive win of the season.

    A dramatic start ensued when the race got underway, with polesitter Antonelli facing a three-way scrap alongside Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc before both the Mercedes and Red Bull cars locked up into the first corner.
    Verstappen then dropped down the order after spinning out shortly after.

    The lead changed hands numerous times from there, with Antonelli later taking over Leclerc while Norris, Oscar Piastri and Verstappen all enjoyed stints at the front.
    Separate crashes for Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly, meanwhile, saw the Safety Car deployed in the opening laps.

    But it would ultimately prove to be a two-horse battle between Antonelli and Norris as the race wore on, the McLaren remaining on the tail of the former during the latter stages.
    Despite that tension, Antonelli held on to score his third victory of the campaign, making history as the first driver to convert their maiden three pole positions into wins.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Antonelli, P2: Norris, P3: Piastri, P4: Russell, P5: Verstappen, P6: Hamilton, P7: Colapinto, P8: Leclerc, P9: Sainz and P10: Albon.

    What a result for Antonelli, unfortunate he locked up at the start, but he kept his Mercedes out of trouble and had a little fight with the McLaren of Lando Norris but managed to come out on top. P4 for Russell, after late battles with Verstappen and Leclerc.

    McLaren’s have improved massively! Great to see them fighting at the top again, Norris especially with Antonelli and then Piastri being there waiting to see if he can capitalise on anyone’s mistake which he was able to and the team came home with a double podium!

    5th for Verstappen, with a 5 second time penatly, which I do think he was very lucky to only get that, as some of his moves were a bit controversial… As for his teammate, Hadjar, a weekend to forget, from being disqualified in qualifying and then crashing out the race at Turn 14, he will want to keep his eyes focused on the next round.

    As for the Ferrari’s, unfortunate for Hamilton to get damage with Colapinto at the start, but he did well to manage it and still finish 6th, so some decent points considering. As for his teammate, Leclerc had a 20 second time penalty for leaving the track on multiple occasions and got dropped down to 8th, not good at all, considering the McLaren’s and Red Bull’s have improved since the start of the season.

    Colapinto finished 7th! A great result for the Alpine man, he deserved a points finish after having a great weekend, qualifying well!

    A double points finish for Williams rounds out the top 10! A good result for the team, they capitalised on others not finishing and keeping themselves out of trouble.

    The start was not as bad as yesterday – it was a little bit better. I didn’t expect Charles to brake that early, so to avoid him I locked up. I was a bit lucky with what happened in Turn 2. I did a little mistake with the energy management, trying to overtake Charles, then I lost a place to Lando. But then the pace was strong, I was able to stay close, and then the team did a great strategy. We did a massive undercut, and we managed to bring it home, even though it was not easy.
    Antonelli on the win.

    Now next up, we have a little break (but not too long) as we head to Canada for Round 5 on May 22nd – 24th and it is another sprint race!

  • F2 – RND 2 – Day 1

    Practice-
    Colton Herta got his home weekend in Miami off to the perfect start, topping Free Practice for Hitech on a 1:40.320.

    Kush Maini followed in second for ART Grand Prix ahead of TRIDENT’s Laurens van Hoepen.

    Installation laps were interrupted early on after a spin for Noel Leon at Turn 7 brought out the Virtual Safety Car, with his Campos Racing car needing to be recovered.

    The return to green flag conditions didn’t last long as teammate and Championship leader Nikola Tsolov also stopped on track, bringing out the Red Flags.

    Running resumed with 25 minutes to go and everyone was eager to get out on track to maximise the remaining time.

    Van Hoepen had led the way initially but Alexander Dunne delivered a 1:40.999 to go fastest for Rodin Motorsport with more laps on the board.

    Gabriele Mini usurped his Alpine Academy stablemate, going quickest briefly before a flurry of further improvements put van Hoepen back on top with a 1:40.480.

    Maini then put ART P1 on the leaderboard with a 1:40.336, 0.144s ahead of the TRIDENT driver in second with a little over 10 minutes remaining.
    Herta then moved himself into the top three, just a fraction slower than van Hoepen, but then went quickest of all in the final two minutes on a 1:40.320.

    Nobody could find a better effort, and a yellow flag late on for van Hoepen, who went off the track at Turn 8 prevented any more changes in the order.

    Qualifying-

    ART Grand Prix driver Kush Maini came out on top of a tightly fought Miami Qualifying, taking the Aramco Pole Position Award ahead of Rafael Camara and Martinius Stenshorne.

    Maini completed a 1:39.888 with his final lap of the day to beat Camara to the top spot by just 0.033s with Rodin Motorsport’s Martinius Stenshorne in P3.

    It was Camara that set the pace early with a 1:40.411, the Invicta Racing driver over a tenth ahead of the Rodin’s Alexander Dunne and Stenshorne in P2 and P3 respectively.

    Several drivers were able to push on and improve on their second laps with the supersoft tyres, including Rafael Villagomez, who went from eighth to fourth ahead of Maini in fifth.

    While the majority of the field pushed on for a third attempt, many chose to return to the pitlane for a new set of tyres ahead of their final laps of the day.

    The drivers returned to the track with just over 11 minutes to go, and once the flying laps begun, the fastest time changed several times.

    But it was ultimately Maini that was quickest on a 1:39.888 with the top three, including Camara and Stenshorne covered by just 0.050s.

    ART opted to bring Maini back into the pitlane as the rest of the field continued looking to improve their times.

    But those runs were curtailed by a yellow flag at Turn 16, with Stenshorne having pulled over to with an issue, leaving Maini on pole ahead of Camara.

    Dunne wound up in P4 for Rodin behind Stenshorne, with Gabriele Mini in fifth for MP Motorsport.

  • Round 4 – Miami Qualifying

    Kimi Antonelli has clinched pole position for the Miami Grand Prix in style, setting a magnificent lap to edge out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to the honour.

    The Mercedes driver was consistently towards the top of the times throughout qualifying and, although he couldn’t improve on his final lap, an earlier effort proved to be unbeatable as he ended the session on a time of 1m 27.798s.

    Verstappen looked close to piping Antonelli to pole position at the last second with rapid sectors at the Miami International Autodrome, but he ultimately lost out by just over a tenth and will line up on the front row ahead of Leclerc.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Antonelli, P2: Verstappen, P3: Leclerc, P4: Norris, P5: Russell, P6: Hamilton, P7: Piastri, P8: Colapinto, P9: Hadjar and P10: Gasly.

    A lovely result for Antonelli, Pole for the Italian, just what he would’ve wanted, he will be looking to go for the win without any challenges. As for Russell, a little further back, his got his work cut out as he has Hamilton just behind and Norris just infront.

    A great result for Verstappen, seems like the Red Bull has improved since last time out, which we like to see as it brings the fight closer together and more action on track.

    A decent result for the Ferrari’s with Leclerc in the mix in third, he will be wanting to fight the Red Bull and McLaren for a podium and get those all important points needed.

    McLaren qualified 4th and 7th for Norris and Piastri, a decent result for them, a bit more work to do for Piastri having to pass through some drivers for better points.

    A really good result the Alpine’s, Colapinto in 8th, he has started to become more consistent this season, hopefully he can turn that P8 start to some good points. His teammate, Gasly starts in 10th, so will be looking for a double points finish.

    No real surprises out of qualifying, so will be an interesting race if anything happens, weather wise which can change strategies.

    The race has moved forward due to potentially having a storm coming in, so start time is now 6pm (BST).

    It’s been an amazing day, to be on pole again. It was obviously a difficult start of the day with the Sprint, where it didn’t go our way, but I’m super happy with the recovery. It was a good Qualifying. I got a little bit too excited on the last lap of Q3, but the first lap was good enough, and I’m really happy with that.
    Antonelli on pole.

  • Round 4 – Tyre Selection

    The first stars and stripes race of the season will take place this weekend in Miami. With F1 having observed a lengthy break following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and resumes it championship campaign on the street circuit in Florida.

    The Miami Grand Prix is held on a track built specifically for the event around the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins.
    The layout which runs through sections of public roads and the stadium’s parking areas, measures 5.412 kilometres and is raced over 57 laps.

    To tackle the 19 corners and three long straights of the Miami International Autodrome, as it was named for its inaugural race in 2022, teams will have access to the three softest compounds in Pirelli range: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft).

    Last year’s Grand Prix, won by Oscar Piastri, was very straightforward from a strategic point of view. At the start, drivers spilt between those who opted for the Mediums and those who chose the Hards, keeping their options open in case of a neutralisation or a sudden change in weather conditions.

    One interesting characteristic that emerged last year was how quickly the circuit dried. This was clearly demonstrated during the Sprint, the short race that will also feature this season, when drivers switched from intermediate tyres to slicks during the 19 laps.

  • Miami FP1 session extended

    It has been announced that Free Practice 1 at the upcoming Miami Grand Prix will be extended to 90 minutes when the season resumes following a five-week break.

    The session during the Miami weekend – which takes place across May 1-3 will no run from 1200 to 1330 local time, meaning that all other track sessions scheduled prior to FP1 will also move forward by 30 minutes.

    The remainder of the event will run as originally planned, with Sprint Qualifying being held at 1630 local time later on Friday before the second Sprint of the season takes place at 1200 on Sunday.

    Qualifying follows at 1600 on Saturday, while the Grand Prix itself gets underway on Sunday at 1600.

    The Miami Grand Prix marks the fourth round of the campaign, with Kimi Antonelli currently heading he Drivers’ Championship standings while Mercedes are on top of the Teams’ standings.

    This decision has been taken in recognition of the gap since the last Grand Prix, the recently announced regulatory and technical adjustments, and the fact that as the Miami Grand Prix operates under the Sprint format which reduces the amount of practice time available over the course of the weekend.
    A statement from the FIA confirming the news.

  • Cadillac reveal special home race livery

    Cadillac have unveiled a special livery for the Miami Grand Prix, and event that will be the team’s first home race in Formula 1.

    The one-off design – presented by the team’s primary partner TWG AI – integrates the Stars and Stripes motif into Cadillac’s signature black and white colour scheme, while the front wing includes 50 stars, one to represent each American state.

    There is also a touch of colour on the rear wing, which feature the word ‘USA’ alongside shades of red, white and blue in honour of Cadillac and TWG AI’s American heritage.

    As well as racing in a newly liveried car, Bottas and Perez will sport special race suits for the Miami weekend which also nod to the American identity of the team.

    The Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s special Miami Grand Prix livery is a natural extension and speaks without excess. It’s deliberate and confident. This is our first home race, and it mattered to us that fans still recognize what they’ve come to know. I can’t wait for the crowd to see it on track for the first time. There’s no place like home.
    Cassidy Towriss, Chief Brad Advisor for Cadillac.

    Miami is a big moment for the team, and we’re proud to have our name on the car for it. This new livery for the first American race is more than just a design – it’s a statement of identity and intent. It celebrates the shared heritage of two American brands coming together, united by a relentless drive to push boundaries and innovate. That synergy is what makes this partnership so special, and this livery is a bold reflection of the ambition and forward-thinking spirit that TWG AI brings to the team.
    Drew Cukor, President of TWG AI.

  • Formula 1 to race in Miami until 2041

    Formula 1 has announced that the Miami Grand Prix will remain on the calendar through 2041, following a 10 year extension to its existing agreement with the promoter South Florida Motorsports – a new deal that will make Miami the longest contract event on the F1 calendar.

    Since joining Formula 1 in 2022, the Miami Grand Prix has established itself as one of the most desirable sporting events in the world, attracting fans from across the USA and around the globe with a perfect combination of thrilling racing on track and incredible entertainment off it.

    The race has made a significant impact on the local economy and community, generating more than US $1 billion in economic impact across its fist three years.
    The race organisers have also established internship programmes, worked with local charities, and promoted home-grown businesses each year to ensure that the legacy of the race is felt in the local area.

    The 2024 race saw a circuit record of 275,000 fans attend the Miami International Autodrome across the weekend to see McLaren’s Lando Norris take his first Grand Prix victory, as well as Abbi Pulling secure back-to-back race victories in F1 Academy.

    The Grand Prix attracted the largest US television audience of all time, with 3.1 million viewers tuning in to follow the action.

    In just three years, the Miami Grand Prix has established itself as one of the most important and spectacular events on our calendar, an extraordinary example of quality and vision that truly represents the spirit and ambition of Formula 1 in the United States. Extending this agreement until 2041 is a strategic milestone of enormous importance, which strengthens our presence in America and consolidates the ever-deepening bond with our fan base there, which is constantly growing and passionate like never before. Miami is not only an extraordinary city, but also a truly global sporting hub, energetic, dynamic and culturally vibrant. All this would not have been possible without the far-sighted vision and tireless commitment of Stephen Ross and Tom Garfinkel, to whom I extend my sincere gratitude for the leadership, support and dedication with which they have helped transform the Miami Grand Prix into a world-class event.
    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO.

    Securing a 10-year extension with Formula 1 through 2041 is an extraordinary milestone for all of us at South Florida Motorsports and a true testament to the hard work of our team, the strength of our partnerships, the support of our community and the growth of the sport in the United States. To have been granted this extension after only our third event speaks to what we have felt from the very beginning – the Miami Grand Prix is here to stay. I want to thank Stefano Domenicali and Formula 1 for believing in our vision, as well as Stephen Ross for his investment and commitment to growing this event. From day one, our goal has been to create a world-class race that also reflects the spirit of Miami — vibrant, inclusive and culturally significant. This long-term commitment allows us to continue innovating, investing in the fan experience and deepening our impact across South Florida.
    Tom Garfinkel, Managing Partner of Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix,

  • R6 – Miami

    Oscar Piastri has strengthened his lead in the World Championship by clinching his fourth victory of the season at the Miami Grand Prix, the Australian leading home team mate Lando Norris making it a 1-2 for McLaren.

    While Max Verstappen initially led away from pole, a battle with Norris saw the Briton run wide and drop down the order – letting Kimi Antonelli and Piastri through in the process.
    But as the laps ticked down – and Piastri overtook the Mercedes – Verstappen soon found himself under increasing pressure from the championship leader.

    After Piastri eventually found a way past, a recovering Norris subsequently followed through into second, allowing the papaya cars to build up a sizeable gap at the front.

    The full top 10 are – P1: Piastri, P2: Norris, P3: Russell, P4: Verstappen, P5: Albon, P6: Antonelli, P7: Leclerc, P8: Hamilton, P9: Sainz and P10: Tsunoda.

    What a result for McLaren! A 1-2 for the papaya team, which is what they would’ve been aiming for, maybe not the order they expected but you’d rather it be your teammate than a rival.
    But one thing I will say is that Piastri has got pace this season, he is unstoppable at the moment, and if he carries on producing these results he will be a championship contender.

    P3 for Russell! What a great result for the Mercedes driver, especially after his struggles this weekend, he came through the other side and managed to get the podium finish.
    As for Antonelli, he finished 6th, expected a little more from him to be honest, but still a very good weekend for the young driver.

    P4 for Verstappen, a good result, however I did expect a podium from the Dutch driver, he was close to grabbing third from Russell towards the end of the race but it just wasn’t enough.
    As for Tsunoda, he finished the race in 10th, a point for Japanese driver, I did expect more from him to be fair and it’s a shame he wasn’t higher up in the points.

    Now onto Williams, P5 for Albon! Beating a Mercedes, two Ferrari’s and a Red Bull! WOW, what a points haul aswell for Williams, it really is great to see them on the up.

    A bit of a tough race for Ferrari, P7 for Leclerc and P8 for Hamilton, the latter having a somewhat disagreement on the radio with team orders, and in the end I think both drivers lost out on securing more points for the team.

    Now onto the next race weekend, we have another weeks break and then we have another triple header where our first stop will be Italy for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix!

  • RND 6 – Miami Qualifying

    Max Verstappen delivered an incredible performance to clinch pole position in qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix.
    The reigning world champion going fastest from Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli despite a slight error on his final run.

    After Verstappen claimed provisional pole during the early runs of Q3 but just 0.003s from Norris, the Dutchman’s prospects during his closing effort looked to be at risk after a wobble in the first corner.
    The Red Bull man still went fastest on a 1m 26.204s, six-hundredths clear of Norris who apologised to his team for taking too much kerb on his lap.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Verstappen, P2: Norris, P3: Antonelli, P4: Piastri, P5: Russell, P6: Sainz, P7: Albon, P8: Leclerc, P9: Ocon and P10: Tsunoda.

    What a result for the Dutchman! Just what he would’ve wanted going into the weekend, he will be looking to grab the win later on today and close in on the drivers’ championship.
    As for his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda finished qualifying in 10th. A lot better than the Sprint Qualifying, but still needs to do some work to be closer to his teammate.

    A good result for Norris P2, it seems like his last lap really cost him, it’s still a good result, but I know he’d be kicking himself for the mistake. His teammate qualified fourth, a good result too. They will both be aiming for podiums / potential wins today.

    Now onto Antonelli! The Italian is on fire this weekend, he has qualified third for the Grand Prix. He seems to have found really good form this weekend and its great to see.
    As for Russell, he seems to be struggling a lot this weekend, he still qualified 5th which isn’t too bad but it will be interesting to see how the race goes for him.

    P6 for Carlos Sainz and P7 for Alex Albon, what a performance from the Williams boys! They have seemed to excel this weekend and it is great to see. Hopefully with a good strategy they can score some decent points.

    P8 for Leclerc, not the best result for the Ferrari driver, and as for his teammate Hamilton qualified 12th. Poor performance from the team, but hopefully they have some strategies for both drivers to help them move up to grab those all important points.

  • R6 – Miami Sprint Qualifying

    Kimi Antonelli has clinched his debut pole position after delivering a stunning lap during Sprint Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix, the Italian holding off the challenge from both McLaren’s to become the youngest polesitter ever – in any race format – in F1.

    A thrilling conclusion to SQ3 saw the name at the top of the timesheets change more than once, with Max Verstappen initially beating George Russell’s benchmark – only for Antonelli to surge through with an effort of 1m 26.482s at the wheel of the Mercedes.

    Oscar Piastri fell short by just 0.045s in second, while fellow McLaren driver Lando Norris had to settle for third.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Antonelli, P2: Piastri, P3: Norris, P4: Verstappen, P5: Russell, P6: Leclerc, P7: Hamilton, P8: Albon, P9: Hadjar and P10: Alonso.

    What a result from Antonelli! First ever pole position and what a way to do it! A great result for the Italian and a promising start to the weekend! Hopefully he can turn it into a Sprint win.
    As for his teammate, Russell qualified 5th, not a bad result as it was very close between the top 6.

    A good result for McLaren P2 and P3. They’ve got a good opportunity for the sprint race, this should boost Norris’s confidence a bit more now, as he has seem to struggled this season.

    A decent result for Verstappen, P4 for the four time world champion! As for his teammate Tsunoda was out in SQ1 after failing to make it to the line to start a lap, very unfortunate for him.

    A decent result for Ferrari, 6th for Leclerc and 7th for Hamilton, a good result for the team and potential for some points today in the sprint race.

    A good result for Albon, P8! I think this is now just the normal for Williams, a familiar face in the top 10’s now.

    P10 for Alonso, nice to see him making an appearance in the top 10, he will be looking to see if the Aston Martin car can get into the points.

  • R6 – Tyre Selection

    Formula 1 moves from shore to shore, from the Red Seas to the Atlantic Ocean, from the Asian continent to North America and from Saudi Arabia to the United States.

    The Miami Grand Prix is the first of three to be held in the United States this year, as has been the case since 2023, with the Floridian round joining the calendar in 2022.
    The race is held on a track around the Hard Rock Stadium, home to Miami Dolphins NFL team and one of nine ATP Masters venues.

    The compounds chosen by Pirelli is the same as that used a fortnight ago in Saudi Arabia. C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), C5 (Soft), just as in Jeddah, this is a step softer than last season.

    The surface of the track that runs around the stadium is very smooth, exposing the tyres to moderate longitudinal and lateral forces.
    Thermal degradation will be a major factor, as temperatures are expected to be very high, given that last year’s track temperature exceeded 55°C.

    The surface was relaid in 2023, as with the other temporary Grand Prix circuits, grip levels will increase significantly the more the track rubbers-in across the weekend.

    The Miami International Autodrome is 5.412 kilometres long, the race being run over 57 laps.
    The layout incorporates parking lots, service roads and some public roads with a total of 19 corners, seven to the right and 12 to the left.

    So far, the Miami Grand Prix has been a one-stop race, including last year’s.
    The medium tyre was the tyre of choice for the opening stint for 15 of the 20 drivers, before a switch mainly to the hard, with just a couple of drivers opting for the soft tyre, which actually displayed relatively low degradation.

  • Ava Dobson announced as Miami Wild Card

    Morgan Stanley, the first financial services partner of the all-female series, will support Ava Dobson as she races in Miami in a firm-branded bespoke livery and race suit.

    American driver Dobson will join the F1 Academy grid on home soil as the Wild Card entry for Round 3 in Miami. Supported by Morgan Stanley, the 16 year old will take to the track in a Morgan Stanley branded bespoke livery and race suit operated by Hitech TGR car.

    Dobson, who fails from Milwaukee, began competing in open-wheel racing in 2023 in the Formula 4 US Championship and was awarded a Parella Motorsports Holdings Powering Diversity Scholarship, alongside racing in the USF Juniors and USF2000.

    Venturing over to Europe for a two-round appearance in the GB4 Championship the following year, 2025 has seen Dobson return for a full campaign, with her scoring points across the first two rounds in Donington Park and Silverstone.

    We are very proud to have Morgan Stanley on board as the inaugural financial services partner of F1 ACADEMY, in the firm’s first foray into motorsport sponsorship. It is fantastic to see Morgan Stanley, a brand that has driven excellence and innovation for 90 years, investing in women’s sport and championing female talent in motorsport.
    Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy.

  • Sauber reveal special livery for Miami

    Kick Sauber have revealed a striking special livery that will adorn their car for the Miami Grand Prix weekend, with the design inspired by the vibrant art scene of the city.

    Described as a “bold canvas of modern art” the one off colour scheme is dominated by neon green paint, designed to evoke the feeling of freshly applied paint as if completed by the artist before the cars hit the track.

    To match the special livery of the C45, drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto will be wearing race suits that reflect the theme, while the design is also set to feature throughout the team’s garage and on pit stop equipment.

    With this marking Kick Sauber’s first new look of the campaign, the squad have promised that there will be further surprises and special moments to come in the year ahead.

    This livery is more than just a new look – it’s a celebration of Miami’s creative spirit and our commitment to energising the sport for our fans. Our objective when developing this livery with Stake was to stand out, not only for our dedication on the track, but also for our boldness and creativity off track. Our team is dedicated to creating memorable moments and engaging experiences, and this Miami special is a perfect example of that.
    Stefano Battiston, Chief Commercial Officer.

  • F1 Academy – RND 2 Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-
    Qualifying

    Drivers’ Standings leader Abbi Pulling ran the show in Qualifying, going from strength to strength to secure both F1 Academy pole positions on offer in Miami.

    Her hold onto P1 was unrelenting, with a time of 1:58.507 in the final minutes of the session putting her over five tenths clear of Doriane Pin and Hamda Al Qubaisi.
    The Alpine driver will have different company for race 2, as Bianca Bustamante’s consistency was rewarded for P2, four tenths off, ahead of Pin in third.

    With only 30 minutes on the clock, there was not a lot of time to lose as the field flooded out as the lights went green. Having set the pace in Free Practice 2, laid down the initial benchmark at 1:59.882.

    Ferrari’s Maya Weug took over the top spot heading into the halfway mark, going 0.024s faster than Pulling’s latest attempt.

    Benefitting from the track evolution, Bustamante pushed on, deposing Pulling momentarily with a 1:59.122, whilst Pin moved inside the top three. Pulling immediately responded with a 1:58.714.

    As Pin improved to just over three tenths off, one flying lap solidified Pulling’s place at the top of the timing sheets, where she broke 0.574s clear of the Mercedes driver.

    Hamda Al Qubaisi’s late burst of pace elevated her to third for Race 1 ahead of McLaren driver Bustamante.

    The full top 10 for race 1 are- P1: Pulling, P2: Pin, P3: Hamda Al Qubaisi, P4: Bustamante, P5: Weug, P6: Marti, P7: Chambers, P8: Nobels, P9: Hausmann and P10: Lovinfosse.

    The full top 10 for race 2 are- P1: Pulling, P2: Bustamante, P3: Pin, P4: Hamda Al Qubaisi, P5: Marti, P6: Weug, P7: Nobels, P8: Chambers, P9: Edgar and P10: Hausmann.

    Race 1-

    Controlling the race from pole, the Alpine driver led every lap and never looked back, taking the chequered flag with a 5 second advantage over second-placed Doriane Pin. Chloe Chamber gave her home crowd something to celebrate, battling hard to go from P7 to her first podium in the series.

    Acing her getaway at lights out, Pulling kept Pin at bay into Turn 1 and immediately set out creating a 1 second buffer to the Mercedes driver in the space of a lap.

    At the tail end of the top 10, Tina Hausmann’s race came to an early end after contact with Aurelia Nobels sent the Aston Martin driver off into the wall at Turn 8. Nobels would later be handed a 10-second penalty for the incident.

    A three car battle for fourth saw Weug forced to go on the defensive heading into lap 3, as Nerea Marti attempted to move around the outside of Turn 1.
    Just behind, Chambers sat patiently, waiting to pounce when the opportunity arrived one lap later.

    Marti found her way past Weug on lap 6, but a mistake undid all her work and allowed the Ferrari driver and Nobels to slip through momentarily.

    Bustamante continued to make up lost ground, diving to the inside of the final corner with a move on Amna Al Qubaisi. Going side-by-side with RB driver, Bustamante managed to eke out ahead, but received a 5 second penalty for going off track and gaining an advantage a few laps earlier.

    Out front, Pulling’s mirrors were clear as she crossed the line to win by 5.2s to Pin and Chambers.
    The full top 10 are- P1: Pulling, P2: Pin, P3: Chambers, P4: Marti, P5: H Qubaisi, P6: Weug, P7: Edgar, P8: A Qubaisi, P9: Bustamante and P10: Lovinfosse.

    Day 2-
    Race 2-

    Abbi Pulling made it two for two as she brought home her second win on the streets of Miami. Bianca Bustamante righted her wrongs from Race 1, fending off a late push from Doriane Pin to earn her first podium for McLaren in second.

    Pole sitter Pulling was instantly on the defensive from Bustamante as the lights went green, locking up slightly into Turn 1, managing to outbreak the ART car, she managed to hold the lead.

    Chambers was once again on a charge after her race 1 podium. A storming start from P8 for the Haas driver saw her slide past Aurelia Nobels, Nerea Marti and Maya Weug in turn through the opening corners and moved to fifth.

    Behind her, Tina Hausmann found herself out on the opening lap for the second race in a row. Locking up into Turn 1, Lola Lovinfosse tagged the Aston Martin car ahead, forcing her to retire with a puncture. Lovinfosse later received a 10 second time penalty.

    On lap 5, Weug dispatched the Hamda Al Qubaisi, but found her mirrors full of a train of cars behind from P6 to P13. Two laps later, Lovinfosse gambled on another move as Nobels left the door open, with the two running side-by-side.

    Bustamante’s hold over P2 had a momentary scare, as Pin closed right in on her tail. However, the Filipina racer kept up her pace to break the slipstream advantage to the Mercedes driver behind.

    At the tail end of the top 10, Block hunted down her first points of her F1 Academy campaign. Eyeing a move on Carrie Schreiner in 10th, the Williams went in too deep, allowing Emely De Heus to capitalise and overtake the American driver.

    Jessica Edgar was on the march as she overtook Marti for seventh. However, the Spainard wasn’t giving up, diving up the inside of Turn 1 but she overshot the corner and allowing the American Express driver to cutback through.
    However, Edgar’s race unravelled a few corners later, losing the rear through Turns 6 and 7 and spinning wide over the runoff.

    Completing her 27th tour of the Miami circuit, Pulling brought home a comfortable second win of the season.
    The full top 10 are- P1: Pulling, P2: Bustamante, P3: Pin, P4: Chambers, P5: Weug, P6: H Qubaisi, P7: Marti, P8: A Qubaisi, P9: Schreiner and P10: Block.

    Now we have a little wait till the next round, which is Round 3 and we head to Barcelona on the 21st to 23rd of June.

  • RW 6 – Miami

    WOW… What a race we had in Miami for Round 6 out of 24! We had a first time winner in F1, and some drama along the way, so let’s take a look at it…

    McLaren driver, Lando Norris has now added his name to the list of Formula 1 race WINNERS with a sensational driver for victory in Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix.

    Joining him in the top three is Max Verstappen in 2nd, and in third is Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc!

    Norris ran sixth in the early stages of the race, with fast-starting team mate Oscar Piastri the McLaren man who initially looked most likely to cause an upset, however… A safety car at the midway point played perfectly into the Briton’s hands after he extended his opening stint.
    Norris emerged from the pits in the lead, with Verstappen in second after stopping under normal racing conditions, and despite an initial attack from the latter at the restart.
    A cool, calm and collected performance thereafter and balance problems for Verstappen, meant there was no stopping Norris.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Norris, P2: Verstappen, P3: Leclerc, P4: Perez, P5: Sainz, P6: Hamilton, P7: Tsunoda, P8: Russell, P9: Alonso and P10: Ocon.

    What a result for Mr Lando Norris… I honestly can’t believe it and I bet he can’t either!! Lando had a lovely drive, he kept it cool and calm. I’m so happy for him and the team.
    His teammate, was doing so well, he was running in P2 for a while at the beginning of the race, until he had a collision with Carlos Sainz where he needed to pit for a new front wing which saw the Australian drop all the way down to the bottom of the grid.

    A decent result for Red Bull, obviously Max in P2 and Checo in P4, a nice points haul for the team and keeping their lead in the constructors!

    Ferrari had a very good result aswell, P3 for Leclerc and P5 for Sainz the team will be happy with that result aswell.

    Esteban Ocon has scored his first point this season which is also Alpine’s first point this season as well! It’s just what the team needs, which hopefully will set them onto a better path.

    An unlucky driver was Logan Sargeant, Magnussen was attempting a move on Sargeant through the Turn 2 flick, where contact sent the American into the barriers and the Dane back to the pits for repairs, with the American sustaining terminal damage upon impact which was a disappointing end to the first of three home Grand Prix he is set to take part in.
    Magnussen got given a 10 second time penalty for the clash.

    Now we have a little wait till the next race, we head to Italy for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix which is round 7, on the weekend of 17th to 19th May.

  • RW 6 – Miami Qualifying

    Max Verstappen has claimed his seventh consecutive pole position by taking P1 on the grid for the Miami Grand Prix, despite failing to improve during his final flying lap.

    The Dutchman had provisionally put himself into pole in the first runs of Q3 having set a time of 1m 27.241s and this proved to be enough to maintain the position. Charles Leclerc will join the red bull driver on the front row, with his teammate Carlos Sainz rounding out the top three.

    The full top 10 is – P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Sainz, P4: Perez, P5: Norris, P6: Piastri, P7: Russell, P8: Hamilton, P9: Hulkenberg and P10: Tsunoda.

    A good result for Max once again, it was just a copy and paste for him! Perez one position down than compared to sprint qualifying, but it’s not the end of the world for the Mexican.

    A very good result from Ferrari, I can see them challenging for the win as they have had quite good pace this weekend. If not they will want to try their hand at a double podium.

    A good result from McLaren P5 and P6, Lando will be wanting to make up for a disappointing sprint where he DNF’ed. The McLaren’s have brought some upgrades this weekend and they seem to be working, so they have got pace this weekend which could see some potential for a podium…

    A much better result for Mercedes, both cars in the top 10, P7 for Russell and P8 for Hamilton. They will be wanting to capitalise on that as much as they can.

    Hulkenberg and Tsunoda had a good qualifying both in the top 10, both drivers will be wanting to score once again in the race.

    A bit of a shocker qualifying for Aston Martin. Both drivers not in the top 10, Stroll starts P11, which is okay but his in the middle of the pack which isn’t the best place. And Alonso starts P15 which is not good at all.

    Ricciardo had a bit of a bad qualifying, a bit of a different one to the sprint qualifying… He starts P18, he needs to have a really good drive and do some lovely overtakes to make up for the qualifying position.

  • RW 6 – Miami Sprint Race

    Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory during Saturday’s Sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix, leading home Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc and Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez at the end of an action packed encounter.

    The Dutchman defended his lead at the start and overcame an early Safety Car before building up a comfortable advantage at the head of the field.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Perez, P4: Ricciardo, P5: Sainz, P6: Piastri, P7: Hulkenberg, P8: Tsunoda, P9: Gasly and P10: Sargeant.

    A great result for Red Bull as usual! It’s not surprising at all, especially Perez he is being really consistent at the moment.

    A nice result from Ferrari, P2 and P5, some more points on the board which will mean everything when it comes to the closing stages of the season!

    Now, we are talking about him again. Mr Daniel Ricciardo, P4! It was looking like P3 at one point during the Sprint but P4 is a very good result for the Aussie and the team. And for his teammate got in the points aswell, so double points!

    A nice result from Piastri, a few points on the board for the team. Not a very good race for Norris, he was involved in a lap one incident where he was tipped into a spin at the first corner, where he had terminal damage after contact between Hamilton, Alonso and Stroll.

    Not a very good sprint for both Mercedes, which was partly due to a bad qualifying but the race wasn’t much better. Hamilton was obviously involved in the lap 1 incident. And Russell ended up dropping back at the start and then had a few troubles getting past other drivers.

    Hulkenberg in P7 aswell, a great result for Haas and a couple points for the team in their home grand prix. His teammate, Kevin Magnussen played a big part in this, helping to stop other drivers come past so his teammate can score some points.

  • RW 6 – Miami Sprint Qualifying

    Max Verstappen will be starting from pole for the Sprint in Miami after storming to P1, while an earlier challenge from McLaren seemed to fall away.

    With every driver opting for just one flying lap in SQ3, Verstappen went quickest of all with a 1m 27.641s. The Red Bull driver will be joined on the front row by Leclerc, who was only 0.108s away. Rounding out the top three is Sergio Perez.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Perez, P4: Ricciardo, P5: Sainz, P6: Piastri, P7: Stroll, P8: Alonso, P9: Norris and P10: Hulkenberg.

    A great result from Red Bull both drivers, Max on pole, even though he didn’t have a very good lap… and also a very good performance from Perez aswell.

    A very good result from Leclerc, P2 especially after him not running in FP1 as he caused a red flag to recover his Ferrari after getting stuck on the track. So considering not much running for the Monegasque its a decent result.

    Now the standout for me, Mr Daniel Ricciardo, P4!! In an RB aswell, he will be wanting to capitalise on this result as much as he can. And the team will be wanting him to do that aswell. But this is what the Australian driver needed to prove he deserves a seat next season whether its in the Red Bull or the RB car…

    A decent result for Aston Martin both cars in the top 10, just what the team wants, but especially for Lance Stroll, whose had some up and down performances.

    A shock in sprint qualifying was both Mercedes out in SQ2, not at all what the team wants. They had some decent pace in free practice and made a few little changes but they were not the right ones clearly. They have three more chances this weekend so hopefully something will go right.

  • Courtney Crone announced as Wild Card for Miami

    F1 Academy has announced that American racer Courtney Crone will join the grid as the Wild Card entry for Round 2 of the F1 Academy season in Miami, in a deal that will see her team up with reigning Teams’ Champions PREMA Racing and shoppable entertainment retailer QVC.

    The Wild Card initiative, introduced to help strengthen the talent pool in the regions where F1 Academy races, sees Wild Card entries presented by partners at select rounds of the calendar.

    Crone will take to the track at the Miami International Autodrome in a QVC-branded livery and race suit as the series takes its place alongside Formula 1.

    The 23 year old driver’s preparation for the entry began two weeks ago in Zandvoort as she got behind the wheel of an F1 Academy car for the first time as part of a two-day Official test event.

    Hailing from California, Crone started racing karts at 3 year old and has achieved success in multiple racing disciplines including Sprint Cars, LMP3 prototypes, speedway motorcycles, and most recently Lamborghini Super Trofeo.

    The Wild Card entries are designed to promote regional talent and show young women in all our race locations that there is a clear pathway into our sport for anyone who is committed and talented. We’ve had a huge amount of interest in the Wild Card since it was introduced in Jeddah and I’d like to thank QVC for supporting our vision and joining us to present our Wild Card entry, Courtney Crone, for the second round of our season alongside Formula 1 at the Miami Grand Prix.
    Susie Wolff, MBE, F1 Academy Managing Director.

    It’s a huge opportunity that F1 ACADEMY is giving drivers through Wild Card entries, especially in America. It can be difficult for young girls from outside Europe to know how to get into international series like this, and the support that I’ve been given by F1 ACADEMY, and the PREMA Racing team, has been hugely positive for me. I’d also like to say thank you to QVC for their support of the Wild Card initiative here in Miami. I think this is an amazing opportunity to grow both this series and the sport.
    Courtney Crone, speaking about being the F1 Academy Wild Card.

    QVC is a leader in live shoppable entertainment, bringing our customers — largely women over the age of 50 — to unexpected places to discover new finds and experiences. Our new Age of Possibility campaign is all about supporting our customers to live their best and most empowered lives. F1 has been innovating and influencing live sports for more than 70 years. The launch of the all-female driver category, F1 ACADEMY, is a testament to their commitment of elevating women in the sport and we are proud to support this vision and Courtney Crone in the race.
    Annette Dunleavey, VP, Brand Marketing from QVC said.

  • RW 6 – Tyre Selection

    The Miami Grand Prix is the sixth round of the season and the first of three to be held in the United States of America.
    The temporary street circuit flows around the Hard Rock Stadium, a multipurpose venue which is home to the Miami Dolphins.

    The 5.412 kilometre long track, which the drivers will tackle 57 times on Sunday, which features 19 corners, three straights, three DRS zones and top speeds can exceed 340 km/h.
    There are some elevation changes, the main one being between turns 13 and 16, with the track rising and falling as it goes over an exit ramp and under various overpasses.

    The three sectors are each different in character, making for a lap which has a bit of everything. The first boasts a run of eight high speed corners, while the second sector has a long straight and a few low speed turns. The final run to the finish line consists of a straight and three flowing corners.

    The three dry tyre compounds chosen by Pirelli are: C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft). The track was resurfaced before last year’s race and is very smooth, therefore offering quite low grip.
    This leads to a very significant track evolution and graining could put in appearance, particularly with the medium and soft tyres.

    In terms of strategy, the Miami Grand Prixx is a classic one-stop race, with hard and medium compounds the outright favourites. Last year, Verstappen started from ninth on the grid on Hard tyres before switching ti Mediums, while the other two drivers who made it to the podium, Perez and Alonso, went the other way (medium then hard).

    This is also the second sprint of the year, therefore with only one hour of free practice the teams and drivers have to find the best set-up as well as evaluating tyre behaviour.

  • RND 5 – Miami Grand Prix

    Well Round 5 is now complete, lets take a look on how it went in the States.

    Max Verstappen charged his way from 9th to take the win for a second time at the Miami Grand Prix. Sergio Perez comes in 2nd making it a 4th one-two this season for Red Bull Racing. Fernando Alonso joins them on the podium in P3.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Verstappen, P2: Perez, P3: Alonso, P4: Russell, P5: Sainz, P6: Hamilton, P7: Leclerc, P8: Gasly, P9: Ocon and P10: Magnussen.

    Another good result for the Bull’s, I personally thought it would’ve been harder for Verstappen to get through the field and Perez would’ve been hoping so to.

    A good result for the Mercedes considering how their Saturday went in qualifying, they’ve now closed the gap down to Aston Martin in the constructors with a decent points haul.

    A turning point for Alpine yesterday as they managed to get a double point finish, they just need to consistently manage that as they’ll then move up further in the constructors.

    A bad day for McLaren, both drivers having quiet races, with Norris getting hit from behind on lap 1 and then Piastri with brake issues it was just a disaster for the Woking team.

    It was a good race. I stayed out of trouble at the beginning and then just had a clean race, picked the cars off one by one. Then I could stay out really long on the hard tyres and that’s where I think we made the difference today. I had a good little battle with Checo at the end. We kept it clean and that’s the most important – it’s a great win today. Yesterday was of course a bit of a setback, today we just kept it calm, kept it clean, and for sure winning a race from P9 is always very satisfying.

    Verstappen on the win.

    Now we have a little break before we have a triple header, we will be back on track from the 19th to 21st May for Round 6 at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

  • RND 5 – Miami Qualifying

    Well, what a qualifying session that was… a few shock surprises and a very mixed up grid for the Miami Grand Prix later today! The top 10 shoot out saw seven teams represented!

    Sergio Perez took his third career F1 Pole Position for the 2023 Miami Grand Prix, as he avoided all the chaos behind him. Alonso will be joining him on the front row in P2, with Carlos Sainz rounding out the top three.

    The full top 10 are: Pole: Perez, P2: Alonso, P3: Sainz, P4: Magnussen, P5: Gasly, P6: Russell, P7: Leclerc, P8: Ocon, P9: Verstappen and P10: Bottas.

    A very mixed session for the Bull’s, it was no secret that Perez wasn’t happy with the car but they managed to do a few tweaks before qualifying which seemed to hook it up, where as Verstappen he had to abort his flying lap due to a snap of oversteer and was scrambling to set another lap…

    A mixed day for Ferrari aswell, a good result for Sainz, he is in the perfect spot to be in the mix for the podium today. But Charles… Whilst Leclerc was on a quick lap, he lost his car at Turn 4 and spun into the barriers, which brought out a red flag and that ended qualifying. A big mistake from the Monegasque, which is happening quite a bit recently, he just needs to get his head in the game and concentrate a bit more.

    Lewis Hamilton suffered his worst ever qualifying performance in the United States and first Q2 elimination since Monza last year with P13, having struggled with Sector 1 in the second segment of qualifying.

    Q1 saw both McLaren’s eliminated with Lando Norris 16th and team mate Oscar Piastri 19th, a lot of work for the papaya boy’s to do today if they want to score some points, could it be possible?

    Predictions-

    My top five are: P1: Perez, P2: Alonso, P3: Russell, P4: Verstappen, P5: Hamilton.

    I feel like it’s going to be a crazy race, a few safety cars and maybe even a red flag, and a possible shocks to come?

  • Miami Grand Prix

    Round 5 is here and we are in Miami for the 2nd Grand Prix, not only this it will be Logan’s first home race!

    Will it be another win for Red Bull this weekend? Or will the tension be rising between the Bulls? Will Ferrari, Aston Martin and Mercedes bring the fight this weekend?

    Can Aston and Mercedes make it back on the podium? Will Charles get another pole position?

    Who needs to shine?

    Nyck de Vries has got some making up to do, last weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix he crashed out and he knows it was his fault and took full blame, so he will be wanting to make up for it this weekend, whether that’s a good qualifying result or race result.

    The Alfa Romeo’s are having a rough ride at the moment too, Zhou peeled into the pits during the last race and retired and Bottas finished 18th, hopefully this track this weekend will be a better fit for the team.

    The Alpine’s are not where they want to be either, two races in a row where no points have been scored for either driver. So this weekend, going back to the normal race format the drivers will be wanting to optimise on other drivers miss fortune and score some points.

    Predictions for Qualifying-

    My top five for qualifying are- Pole: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Perez, P4: Alonso and P5: Hamilton. I don’t believe there is any penalties to be taken this weekend.

    We could possibly see a McLaren in the top 10 and maybe an Alpine aswell, with a stop and start qualifying session to come.

  • Miami Tyre Selection

    The tyres have been selected for the Miami Grand Prix, which will be the first of three grand prix to be held in the United States this year.

    The chosen compounds are: C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft). The track with 19 predominantly slow corners and three straights, is moderately demanding on tyres. The choice of three compounds from the middle of the range, rather than softer sets, is mainly due to the usually high track temperatures which reached 59 degrees celsius last year.

    The most used compounds in the 2022 race were medium and hard. Most of the drivers completed the grand prix with just one pit stop. With the race having been neutralised twice by a safety car and virtual safety car, which allowed some teams to make a second stop.

    The organisers of the grand prix have had the 5.41 kilometres of track resurfaced for 2023. The previous surface, composed of limestone and granite, had been treated with powerful jets of water.

    The weather on the coast of Miami is very changeable. In 2022, the race was spared by rain, which fell only when the starting grid was being assembled with the high temperatures meaning that the track died out before the race started. The possibility of downpours has to be taken into serious consideration.

    This weekend, Formula 1 will race in Miami for the first of three rounds in the United States on this year’s calendar, along with the now-traditional event in Austin and the much-awaited race in Las Vegas. It is not the first time that the championship has had three grands prix take place in the US in the same year, but never before have we seen our sport make such an impact with the American public, and this is largely thanks to the commitment made by Liberty Media. In the first race held on the track around the Hard Rock Stadium last year, the tyres behaved as expected on asphalt which had rather particular characteristics, above all due to a very high “micro-roughness”. We know that the track has now been completely resurfaced and we will have to check during the usual inspection that precedes the start of the weekend if there will be any significant changes in its characteristics. The Miami track requires average downforce levels, as it features a wide variety of corners but also a very long straight. We have brought the middle tyres in the range (C2, C3, and C4), also due to the fact that we can expect very high temperatures: last year the asphalt reached almost 60°C.

    Mario Isola, Motorsport Director.

  • Round 5- Miami GP

    Round 5- Miami GP

    The first Miami Grand Prix is officially over, and what a race it was! No-one really knew how it was going to go from tyres/pitstops to weather to VSC and Safety Cars, it was all unknown.

    But, Max Verstappen wins the Miami Grand Prix after getting the lead from Charles Leclerc early on in the race. 2nd place went to Charles Leclerc and the final podium spot going to Carlos Sainz, a good haul of points for Ferrari.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Sainz, P4: Perez, P5: Russell, P6: Hamilton, P7: Bottas, P8: Ocon, P9: Alonso and P10: Albon.

    There was quite a lot of overtakes throughout the race, but Mr Russell, seemed to make them stick as he was charging up the field after starting 12th! He took full advantage of going long and waiting for a VSC/Safety Car, and it ended up paying off.

    There was a few DRS trains during the race, but one which caused some drama, was where Pierre Gasly went wide, which allowed some cars to go through, but Lando Norris and Gasly made contact as Norris went to over take the Alpha Tauri driver. Lando’s race was therefore over, which caused a VSC and then a full safety car, Gasly retired into the pits just as the Safety Car went in.

    Another bit of contact late on in the race, was between Mick and Seb, both running in the points but as they made contact it saw the pair fall down the order, Seb retiring in the pitlane and Mick having to get a new front wing…

    An okay day for Alfa Romeo, they had Bottas score some points, and it could’ve been more if he didn’t go wide and have both Mercedes sat right behind him. But Guanyu Zhou had a technical issue which saw his race come to an end rather early.

    McLaren and Ricciardo are not having a good time at the moment, second race in a row, finishing outside the top 10. The Woking team now have time to the next race to understand a few things out about the car, as I’m sure they are not the only team who will be doing so.

    The Championship-

    Leclerc still leads the Championship by 19 points, the gap just keeps on coming down now… Max still in 2nd on 85 points, his teammate in third on 66 points. we then have Russell in 4th on 59 points and then Sainz rounding out the top 5 on 53 points.

    The gap between the top two teams are closing, Ferrari still leads with 157 points but Red Bull are just 6 points away from them. Mercedes sat comfortably in third on 95 points, with McLaren in 4th after not scoring any this weekend, and Alfa Romeo in 5th on 31 points.

    We are back again in two weeks, but this time we have a double header. Our first stop being to Barcelona, Spain on the 20th to 22nd May, the home Grand Prix of Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz!

  • Round 5- Miami Qualifying

    Round 5- Miami Qualifying

    The craziness continues in Miami, we only had 19 drivers take part in qualifying as Esteban Ocon had a crash in FP3 where his chassis broke, and wouldn’t of been fixed in time.

    But it was Ferrari who came out on top for the first ever Miami Qualifying, Charles Leclerc took pole position for the third time this season! With his teammate making it an all Ferrari front row lock out.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Leclerc, P2: Sainz, P3: Verstappen, P4: Perez, P5: Bottas, P6: Hamilton, P7: Gasly, P8: Norris, P9: Tsunoda, P10: Stroll.

    Bit of a mixed weekend for most teams really, some seem to improve a lot on Friday, but Saturday they went a little bit back down.

    Mercedes looked very strong in the two free practice sessions, so for GR to qualify out of the top 10 was bit strange, starting in the middle of the pack may not be good here, but it will be interesting to see if he can work his way up the field. Onto LH, much better weekend for him here, back in the top 10, and in a good position if anything happens today to make the most of it.

    Alpha Tauri, a big improvement for them as both drivers in the top 10, where as in Imola they were out in Q1! Lets see if they can keep it up today and score some good points for the team.

    McLaren had an okay day, Norris in the top 10 again, whereas 14th for Ricciardo. The Aussie had an issue with starting the car up in Q2, this then compromised his out lap as he was pushing to get heat in his tyres.

    Predictions-

    My top 5 for the race are- P1: Leclerc, P2: Sainz, P3: Perez, P4: Hamilton and P5: Norris.

    I feel like things aren’t going to go well for Max, his already had a few mechanical problems this weekend, so could this play apart?

    I’d love to see Mick get points, but with the track really only having 2 overtaking spots, can he make up 4 places as well as having to pit and then make up those positions again?…

    I could see a few DNF’s happening today, the track is so tight and there is no room for error, as we have seen from Ocon and Sainz both crashing.

    The race starts at 20:30pm (BST).

  • Miami Grand Prix

    The first Miami Grand Prix weekend is here! And what a crazy couple of days we’ve seen and there hasn’t even been any racing yet… A sign of things to come?

    Being at a new track, it is a fresh start for everyone but going into the weekend there is a lot of unknown aswell. Who will come out on top this weekend, Ferrari or Red Bull? Or will Mercedes new upgrades put them further up the field…

    Who needs a good weekend?

    Mercedes, even though George has been having a consistent season so far, they will be wanting both drivers to be doing well. Once they unlock the problems on the W13, they should have a decent car…

    Carlos will be wanting a good weekend, his been caught up in a few incidents which hasn’t been his fault. But it does seem like the pressure may be getting to him, he knows his got a car which can perform and he will want to get his first win and help the team get those points up for the Constructors.

    Alonso as well will be wanting a good weekend, another DNF in Imola which wasn’t his fault meant he hasn’t scored points in 3 out of 4 races. The Alpine has got pace so it should be up in that top 10 fighting for points with the McLaren and Mercedes.

    Mick, will he be getting his first points? It’s needed and the Haas does have pace, will be interesting to see how he handles the car on this track.

    Predictions for qualifying-

    My top 5 are- Pole: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Perez, P4: Sainz and P5: Alonso. This track is a bit unknown on whose car it will suit, but we all know the battle will be between Ferrari and Red Bull for pole.

    A battle i’m not sure on is Mercedes, McLaren, Alpine and probably Haas, they all have strong cars which could make that final top 5 place, but it should be a good battle between the teams.

    Times for the weekend-

    Friday 6th-

    • Free Practice 1- 19:30pm – 20:30pm (BST)
    • Free Practice 2- 22:30pm – 23:30pm (BST)

    Saturday 7th-

    • Free Practice 3- 18:00pm – 19:00pm (BST)
    • Qualifying- 21:00pm – 22:00pm (BST)

    Sunday 8th-

    • Race- 20:30pm (BST).

  • Miami tyre allocation

    We are back this week, but no longer in Europe, as we have headed to Miami for the first ever Miami Grand Prix which is round number 5 of the 2022 season!

    Pirelli have chosen the middle of the range, C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium) and C4 (Soft), this combination is the most commonly used throughout the year as its the most versatile.

    The 5.41 kilometre Miami International Autodrome is set in the Hard Rock Stadium Complex in Miami Gardens with 19 corners, three straights, elevation changes and a chicane. Top speeds are expected to be in the region of 320kph with an average of around 22kph and drivers on full throttle for around 58% of the lap.

    The Miami track will be the 11th venue to host a grand prix in the USA, with it being brand new to everyone, Pirelli has had to rely on simulation data to come up with the tyre nominations.

    The brand new asphalt is likely to lead to a high degree of track evolution, especially at the start of the weekend, with the Porsche Challenge and W series as support events.

    The weather could be unpredictable aswell, with ambient temperatures of around 20 degrees and quite a high risk of rain and wind on the Florida coast at this time of year.

    There’s been a huge buzz of excitement around the first Miami Grand Prix, where the track has some similarities to Jeddah, although there are some parts that are slower and more technical than Saudi Arabia: especially the section from Turns 11 to 16. The rest is a very quick layout, running anti-clockwise, which puts the emphasis on the tyres on the right hand side of the car. We’re expecting the usual rapid track evolution and a smooth surface with the new asphalt, but the track has been jet-washed at high pressure, which means that it should offer quite good grip from the beginning. Because it’s a fast track the cars are likely to run a low to medium downforce set-up, which could lead to a bit of sliding in the high-speed corners on the hard compounds in particular. For any new track our choice tends to be on the conservative side, so it will be interest to confront the simulations with real data.

    Mario Isla, Head of Pirelli Motorsport.

  • Miami Track Details

    This week we are in Miami, as F1 keeps on growing in America. Last years US Grand Prix saw a record breaking 400,000 crowd which was unseen before at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

    Miami is now the second US Grand Prix on the calendar, with there being a new addition next year, the Las Vegas Grand Prix making it a third US event.

    The Miami International Autodrome, is a temporary circuit but one designed to have a permanent feel. It’s set in the Hard Rock Stadium complex in Miami Gardens, which is home to the NFL’s famous Miami Dolphins franchise.

    The track is culmination of a development process that stimulated no less than 36 different layouts before settling on the final one.

    What is the circuit like?

    The 5.41km layout, will feature 19 corners, three straights and potentially three DRS zones and an estimated top speed of 320km/h. The race will be 57 laps.

    There are also elevation changes too, the main one being found between Turns 13 and 16, with the track heading over an exit ramp and under various flyovers across uneven ground. Whereas Turn 14 – 15 chicane has an uphill approach with crest in the middle, and then drops down on exit.

    One thing for sure, is that the track is going to be fast, as after Turn 1 there are a number of long sweeping corners that eventually loop round into a massive straight. There is expected that there will roughly be 3 main overtaking spots, but I’m sure we will see some drivers risking it in other places on the track.

    There is a very high speed and high lateral g section from Turns 4-8 where cars will likely struggle to pass and where vehicle performance on the exit of Turn 8 is critical to laptime, followed by two fast power-limited corners at Turn 9 and 10 where it is credible to imagine side-by side racing. In Sector 3, where we have the low-speed and grade-changing Turns 14-16 beneath the Turnpike flyovers, it is intentionally a very challenging technical sequence. We have engineered ‘mistake generators’ in the form of grade – and grip – change on corner apexes that could result in changes of position and where a team might choose a set up that optimises low-speed traction over high-speed grip. We’re seeking to challenge the race engineers and their vehicle setups as much as possible. It’s notionally a street track with some really challenging corners, so you’d expect high downforce, but we have some really long straights and some high-speed corner sequences too that would favour a lower drag setup. There will definitely be a compromise here between downforce levels, and it’ll be interesting to see the top speed differentials between the teams. We want to see a big mix to make the racing as exciting as possible.

    Apex Circuit Design, talking about the Miami Circuit.