In this session, most drivers did not improve on their second run. One of the few to do so was Max Verstappen, who recorded the second-fastest time overall and will therefore start from the front row on Sunday alongside the poleman. The third-fastest time was set by Lando Norris.
Qualifying took place in very hot conditions on Saturday, with air temperatures around 35 degrees and track temperatures close to 52 degrees. All drivers opted for the Soft compound, with the sole exception of Nico Hülkenberg, who completed his first run on a used set of Mediums.
With a time of 1:27.798, Antonelli was almost two tenths quicker than Verstappen, who stopped the clocks at 1:27.964. They were the only two drivers to dip below the 1:28 barrier. Leclerc followed just under two tenths behind Verstappen.
Lando Norris, meanwhile, claimed victory in this morning’s Sprint on a circuit where he clearly feels at home. Behind him, team-mate Oscar Piastri finished second, allowing the Woking-based team to secure a one-two. Behind the duo, Charles Leclerc crossed the line in third place. The Monegasque managed to put Piastri under pressure, but the Australian did well to keep him behind.
During the Sprint race, temperatures reached around 33 degrees, forcing the drivers to compete in extreme heat conditions. All Pirelli compounds were used in the Sprint. The Aston Martin drivers opted for the Softs, the Cadillac drivers for the Hards, while the rest of the field chose the Mediums.
The Pirelli Pole Position Award was presented to Antonelli by Colin Farrell. The Irish actor has won three Golden Globes and was nominated for an Academy Award for the film The Banshees of Inisherin. The star also features in the television series Sugar on the Apple TV+ platform.
DARIO MARRAFUSCHI – PIRELLI MOTORSPORT DIRECTOR
The one-stop strategy is confirmed as the fastest option for tomorrow, as we had already expected ahead of the race weekend. The compounds selected for Miami have proven to be consistent and with low degradation. Extending the stints to make just one pit stop is therefore not an issue. By contrast, a two-stop strategy would be penalised by around 10 seconds compared to a single stop. On paper, the Medium-Hard solution, with a pit window between laps 22 and 28, is the quickest and offers the advantage of flexibility in the event of neutralisations, which are frequent in Miami. The Soft could be a valid option, exploiting its higher grip, when used in combination with the Hard. Starting on the C5, the pit stop should be made between laps 16 and 22. Less effective in terms of lap time is the Medium-Soft pairing, which would have a pit window between laps 32 and 38. Obviously, the entire day will be influenced by the weather forecast, which could even lead to a wet race.
