F1 Miami GP: Charles Leclerc tops practice as Mercedes engine issue hits Kimi Antonelli
Motorsport.com • • sports
Key Points:
- Charles Leclerc topped the only practice session of the Miami Grand Prix with a best time of 1m29.310s, narrowly beating Max Verstappen by 0.297 seconds and placing Oscar Piastri third for McLaren.
- Mercedes faced challenges as championship leader Kimi Antonelli suffered power unit issues, limiting his running and resulting in a best time of 1m30.079s, while teammate George Russell finished sixth.
- The session marked the return of practice after cancellations due to Middle Eastern conflicts and featured extended 90-minute running, with teams debuting upgrades and testing new 2026 regulation tweaks.
- Verstappen experienced shifting problems during the session, and Red Bull introduced a new rear wing design resembling Ferrari’s ‘Macarena Wing,’ while Aston Martin struggled with a garage power outage.
- The top 10 was rounded out by Lewis Hamilton in fourth, Norris seventh, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, with Cadillac and Aston Martin drivers occupying several of the lower positions.
