Formula 1

Leclerc leads a Ferrari 1-2 at the Miami Grand Prix 

3 Mins read
Credit: Ferrari Media

Charles Leclerc clinched pole position at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome in Florida. Carlos Sainz was in second position, just 0.190 seconds slower than Leclerc. Max Verstappen was in third position behind the two Scuderia Ferrari drivers.

Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas rounded off the top five positions in the qualification session at this brand new circuit.

The qualifying session started in hot conditions with air temperatures at 33 degrees C and track temperatures at 53 degrees C at the Miami International Autodromo circuit. Esteban Ocon suffered a heavy crash in final practice and his car could not be repaired in time for qualification.

The Pirelli tyre choice at this race is the white-striped hard compound tyres (C2), yellow-striped medium compound tyres (C3), and red-striped soft compound tyres (C4), the middle range of compounds in the Pirelli tyre range.

Q1: Magnussen knocked out

Carlos Sainz with a lap time of 1m30.858s went fastest to take the top spot in the early running. Verstappen with a storming lap of 1m30.235s laid down the gauntlet and went to the top of the time charts. Leclerc with a lap time of 1m29.474s displaced Verstappen at the top of the time charts.

Lewis Hamilton was in the dropzone and put on a fresh set of soft compound tyres in the dying minutes of the session. The Briton negotiated through the traffic and slotted into fifth position with a do or die lap.

Fernando Alonso also with a last gap effort escaped the dropzone and pushed Kevin Magnussen into the dropzone. The session ended with Leclerc at the top of the time charts ahead of Verstappen and Pérez.

Q1 dropzone: Kevin Magnussen, Zhou Guanyo, Alexander Albon, Nicholas Latifi, Esteban Ocon

Q2: Russell and Alonso eliminated

Verstappen went fastest with a lap time of 1m:29.202s ahead of Pérez. Hamilton with his first flying lap slotted into fifth position behind the two Red Bull Racing and Ferrari drivers.

Russell had to abort his first two flying laps as his W13 lacked grip and with oversteer was sliding through the early corners. The young Briton with his final lap pushed himself into the top ten positions.

But last gap efforts from Lando Norris, Valtteri Bottas and Yuki Tsunoda pushed Russell back into the dropzone.

Daniel Ricciardo had a disappointing lap and finished in fourteenth position even as team-mate Norris finished in third position. Leclerc topped the session ahead of Verstappen.

Q2 dropzone: Fernando Alonso, George Russell, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Mick Schumacher

Q3: Leclerc takes pole position

The last all-important twelve minutes of the top ten shootout started with pole position being contested by the Scuderia Ferrari and Oracle Red Bull Racing drivers.

Verstappen went to the top of the time charts with a lap time of 1m28.991s. Leclerc was just 0.064 seconds slower in second position. Sainz was only marginally slower than his team-mate. Pérez, Bottas and Hamilton slotted in behind these three drivers.

The two Ferrari drivers on their second flying laps went faster than Verstappen and Leclerc took pole position. Verstappen on his final flying lap oversteered off the track and had to be content with third position.

Pérez managed to finish in fourth position. Bottas with a good final lap slotted into fifth position ahead of old team-mate Hamilton.

Gasly, Norris, Tsunoda and Lance Stroll rounded off the top ten positions. Leclerc will start on pole for the third time this season with team-mate Sainz on the first row with him.

Top 10: Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Max Verstappen, Sergio Pérez, Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, Lando Norris, Yuki Tsunoda, Lance Stroll

2022 Miami Grand Prix Qualification Results:

PosNoDriverNat.TeamQ1Q2Q3Laps
116Charles LeclercMONScuderia Ferrari1:29.4741:29.1301:28.79625
255Carlos SainzESPScuderia Ferrari1:30.0791:29.7291:28.98626
31Max VerstappenNEDOracle Red Bull Racing1:29.8361:29.2021:28.99118
411Sergio PerezMEXOracle Red Bull Racing1:30.0551:29.6731:29.03621
577Valtteri BottasFINAlfa Romeo Racing1:30.8451:29.7511:29.47520
644Lewis HamiltonGBRMercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team1:30.3881:29.7971:29.62521
710Pierre GaslyFRAScuderia AlphaTauri1:30.7791:30.1281:29.69022
84Lando NorrisGBRMcLaren F1 Team1:30.7611:29.6341:29.75022
922Yuki TsunodaJAPScuderia AlphaTauri1:30.4851:30.0311:29.93221
1018Lance StrollCANAston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team1:30.4411:29.9961:30.67621
1114Fernando AlonsoESPBWT Alpine F1 Team1:30.4071:30.16014
1263George RussellGBRMercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team1:30.4901:30.17315
135Sebastian VettelGER#N/A1:30.6771:30.21415
143Daniel RicciardoAUSMcLaren F1 Team1:30.5831:30.31015
1547Mick SchumacherGERHaas F1 Team1:30.6451:30.42319
1620Kevin MagnussenDENHaas F1 Team1:30.97511
1724Zhou GuanyuCHNAlfa Romeo Racing1:31.0209
1823Alexander AlbonTHAWilliams Racing1:31.26610
196Nicholas LatifiCANWilliams Racing1:31.32510
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