The only holder of pole positions in F1 in 2024, Max Verstappen continued in search of his sixth this season, in the Miami GP classification. Closing a time of 1m27s241 in this Saturday’s session, the three-time champion surpassed the lap that put Charles Leclerc in second place by 0s1. Carlos Sainz completes the top 3 on the starting grid for this Sunday’s race.
Pole comes after a dominant sprint race victory in Miami Gardens – the three-time champion’s ninth in the format. In total, the Dutchman has 38 starts from first position on the starting grid throughout his career.
If there were poor results in the sprint classification and the sprint race this Saturday, the definition of Sunday’s grid was a little better for Mercedes, which advanced to Q3 with its two drivers; George Russell was seventh and Lewis Hamilton was eighth. Also noteworthy is Yuki Tsunoda: the Japanese RB achieved his fourth top 3 finish on the starting grid this season.
AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: Rafael Lopes, Luciano Burti and Cesar Ramos preview the Miami GP
Sunday’s result and grid
- Max Verstappen (RBR) – 1m27s241
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0s141
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0s214
- Sergio Pérez (RBR) +0s219
- Lando Norris (McLaren) +0s353
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0s434
- George Russell (Mercedes) +0s826
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0s866
- Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) +0s905
- Yuki Tsunoda (RB) +0s951
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0s981
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1s083
- Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +1s130
- Alexander Albon (Williams) +1s172
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1s186
- Valtteri Bottas (Sauber) – Q1
- Logan Sargeant (Williams) – Q1
- Daniel Ricciardo (RB) – Q1
- Guanyu Zhou (Sauber) – Q1
*Daniel Ricciardo loses three positions on the starting grid due to overtaking under a safety car in the previous stage, at the Chinese GP.
The start of the main race of the Miami GP, this Sunday, will be at 5pm – Brasília time. ge tracks everything in real time.
Q1 – 18 minutes and five eliminated
With eight minutes remaining of the 18 in the segment, Verstappen surpassed the reference lap recorded by Sainz with a 0s1 advantage over the Spaniard. The Ferrari driver, however, responded with a 0s086 faster turn. Shortly before, Hamilton moved up from 14th to third with his second attempt, this time on new soft tires.
Pérez also left his mark in the provisional lead, shortly before the grid headed to the pits. Upon returning to the track, in the final minute, Verstappen regained the top of the table; That was when Gasly also saved himself from elimination, posting the fifth fastest time.
16TH VALTTERI BOTTAS (SAUBER)
17th LOGAN SERGEANT (WILLIAMS)
18TH DANIEL RICCIARDO (RB)
19TH KEVIN MAGNUSSEN (HAAS)
20TH GUANYU ZHOU (SAUBER)
Q2 – 15 minutes and five eliminated
Leclerc set the reference time with a 0s1 advantage over Piastri, accompanied by his colleague Norris in third place. The session, however, had a provisional yellow flag raised after Alex Albon almost crashed at turn 17.
At the checkered flag, Hamilton saved himself from elimination by setting the second fastest time. After him, Russell goes from 11th to eighth. Verstappen, in turn, only managed to overtake the Mercedes veteran – 0s033 behind Leclerc’s spin.
11th LANCE STROLL (ASTON MARTIN)
12th PIERRE GASLY (ALPINE)
13TH ESTEBAN OCON (ALPINE)
14th ALEXANDER ALBON (WILLIAMS)
15th FERNANDO ALONSO
Q3 – 12 minutes and dispute for pole
The lap set by Verstappen to overtake his teammate, Pérez, was not surpassed by Leclerc and Sainz – the last to complete their initial attempts. When the clock signaled less than six minutes until the checkered flag, the ten remaining cars returned to the pit lane.
Upon returning to the track, however, no one was able to beat Verstappen’s lap – Hamilton, in particular, put on medium tires and only secured eighth place, 0.8 seconds behind the lead.
