02/05/2025
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole practice session, the air temperature is 27 degrees C and the track temperature is 37 degrees.
In terms of updates, Red Bull has new Floor Fences and a new Floor Edge. The re-optimisation of the fences is to extract a small increase in load for the same flow stability, while more camber has been applied to the edge wing for more local load.
Mercedes has a new Rear Wing Performance, featuring a circuit specific flap update aimed at reducing local downforce and drag along an efficiency slope appropriate for this circuit.
Aston Martin has a new Front Wing, Rear Wing and Beam Wing. The front wing flap is lower loaded to reduce the amount of downforce in proportion to the lower level rear wings typically run at this track, while this beam wing has lower loading than the previous version and works in conjunction with the upper wing for this event to achieve the required drag range. Finally, the revised rear wing is a less aggressive upper wing cascade with lower load and drag than previous versions for use at this circuit.
Alpine has a new Front Corner and Front Suspension. The front brake duct inlet has been re-designed for a local flow optimisation, while the new geometry also offers a gain in brake cooling efficiency. Meanwhile, members of the front suspension geometry have been re-profiled to optimise the flow quality around the updated front brake drum.
Williams has a revised Beam Wing the new main element, which is an optional fit, has a shorter chord than the previous beam wing that ran with this main rear wing assembly. The shorter chord beam wing works with the main rear wing assembly to efficiently reduce both downforce and drag. The use of this beam wing is a setup option that might be suitable for the layout of the circuit.
Finally, Stake has a new Front Suspension, in terms of the lower wishbone covers is aim at improving local flow structures travelling all along the car.
The big news, other than the fact that Max has become a father, is that Miami will remain on the calendar until 2041, which, if the sport continues in the same direction it is currently heading, is a lot longer than we think F1 will be around.
While there are few upgrades of which to speak - ironic when you consider that twelve months ago the upgrades McLaren introduced here turned out to be a total game changer - there are plenty of revised liveries and helmets, while the soundtrack from the forthcoming F1 movie is getting massive coverage.
Of said soundtrack, the only 'artiste' we've heard of is Ed Sheeran, and he is not exactly on the Pitpass playlist.
The lights go green and Piastri leads the way, followed by Gasly, Bortoleto, Leclerc and Sainz.
Both Red Bulls are smothered in flo-vis, though only Verstappen is running the new floor.
As more drivers emerge mediums are very much the order of the day, though a couple are on hards.
"You've left so many tools in the cockpit everything is falling apart," complains Norris. "I'll have to box."
"It feels the seat is quite high," complains Tsunoda.
Of the first wave, Verstappen is quickest (29.808), ahead of Piastri, Gasly, Tsunoda and Sainz.
"The steering is exceptionally heavy," says Russell. "I don't know what's going on," he adds, "the car feels so different."
As Piastri posts a 29.660, Norris is noted for having his car released in an unsafe condition. Seemingly a torch was left in his cockpit.
Sainz stops the clock at 29.198 as teammate Albon goes second.
The Aston Martin pair finally head out... both on softs, clearly scrubbing them as ever.
A 28.634 sees Verstappen retake the top spot.
Hamilton goes fourth with a 29.482, ahead of Leclerc, Piastri and Tsunoda.
Russell goes top with as 28.488 as Norris goes third (28.852).
Hadjar and his teammate are the only drivers currently running the hards, they are running 11th and 13th.
No sooner has Norris posted a 28.391 than Russell responds with a 28.058.
On the hards Hadjar improves to ninth as Antonelli goes fifth (28.811).
"That was a big moment," admits Russell after an exceedingly hairy encounter with the kerbs.
Hadjar improves to sixth and Antonelli second (28.227).
Piastri improves to fourth with a 28.342, just ahead of his teammate.
With around 28 minutes remaining, Hulkenberg is the first to switch to softs. Alonso follows suit. However, once again he is simply scrubbing a set of the red-banded tyres and switches back to the mediums.
Woah, Norris almost trips up over a very, very slow Haas (Ocon) on the racing line. The incident has been noted.
A number of drivers are really pushing their luck in terms of riding the kerbs.
"My God, what is that, he's fully on the racing line," complains Verstappen, but we don't know who he is referring to but it was a Ferrari.
With 13:55 remaining Alonso once again heads out on softs. The Spaniard is currently 13th, 1.098s off the pace.
Sainz also switches to the red-banded rubber as Hulkenberg (softs) goes ninth (28.573).
More and more drivers make the switch as attention shifts to the Shootout.
Alonso crosses the line at 28.516 to go eighth, not the improvement he was hoping for.
Sainz goes top with a 27.678 despite a poor final sector. Albon goes second (27.953).
"Check the right-side tyres," says Piastri, "a little brush with the wall."
As Tsunoda goes fourth, Verstappen goes quickest in S1.
Hadjar goes third and Lawson eighth but both are demoted when Verstappen crosses the line at 27.558.
Leclerc goes top with a 27.484 but Piastri responds with a 27.128, the Australian quickest in all three sectors.
As Norris goes quickest in S2, the session is red flagged after Bearman stops at Turn 12 following a spin.
Replay show he began to lose it in Turn 11, clumping the inside kerb and slowly spinning into the barrier.
"I'm fine, sorry," he tells his team.
The session will not resume, and Norris isn't the only one who failed to complete a flying lap on the softs.
Piastri is quickest, ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Albon, Hadjar, Russell, Tsunoda, Antonelli and Alonso.
Lawson is eleventh, ahead of Norris, Hamilton, Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Bearman , Gasly, Ocon, Doohan and Stroll.
Check out our Friday gallery from Miami here.