Formula 1

Russell Leads Second Miami Practice but Problems for Sainz and Verstappen

2 Mins read
Credit: LAT Images

George Russell led the way in second practice for the Miami Grand Prix, with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team driver setting the pace ahead of Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Times continued to tumble as driver adapted to the new Miami International Autodrome track, with the running not helped by two red flags, one for the crash of Carlos Sainz Jr. and the other for Nicholas Latifi grinding to a halt with an apparent technical issue.

Sainz lost control of his Ferrari at turn thirteen and spun into the barriers, damaging his car and bringing out the red flags for the first time, while Latifi stopped his Williams Racing machine that required a second stoppage while his car was recovered to a safe place.

After his morning crash, Valtteri Bottas was unable to take to the track as his Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN mechanics could not fix his car in time, while reigning World Champion Max Verstappen was restricted to only one lap as he suffered with issues with his Oracle Red Bull Racing machine.

Verstappen only completed fourteen laps in the morning session and will therefore be going into the rest of the weekend on the back foot, the Dutchman yet to have found a rhythm around the FIA Formula 1 World Championship’s newest venue.

At the other end of the times, Russell lowered the track record to a 1:29.938, 0.106 seconds ahead of morning pacesetter Leclerc, while Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez made it three different teams inside the top three, just 0.212 seconds off the pace.

Lewis Hamilton ended fourth, 0.241 seconds behind his Mercedes team-mate Russell, while Fernando Alonso made progress for the BWT Alpine F1 Team as the Spaniard ended fifth, ahead of McLaren F1 Team’s Lando Norris.

Pierre Gasly confirmed that Scuderia AlphaTauri have a good car this weekend in Miami as he followed up his fifth from the morning session with a seventh in the afternoon, just ahead of Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu, while the second Alpine of Esteban Ocon ended ninth ahead of the leading Haas F1 Team driver Kevin Magnussen.

Sainz had been fastest before his crash but tumbled to eleventh by the time of the chequered flag, the Spaniard ending ahead of McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo, with the second AlphaTauri of Yuki Tsunoda.

It is already appearing to be another tough weekend for the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team as Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll ended only fourteenth and sixteenth fastest respectively, either side of the second Haas of Mick Schumacher.

Alexander Albon couldn’t follow up his seventh place finish in the morning session as the Williams driver ended seventeenth, ahead of team-mate Latifi.

Miami International Autodrome Free Practice 2 Result

POSNO.DRIVERNATTEAMTIMEGAPLAPS
163George RussellGBRMercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team1:29.93818
216Charles LeclercMONScuderia Ferrari1:30.044+0.10621
311Sergio PérezMEXOracle Red Bull Racing1:30.150+0.21219
444Lewis HamiltonGBRMercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team1:30.179+0.24118
514Fernando AlonsoESPBWT Alpine F1 Team1:30.372+0.43420
64Lando NorrisGBRMcLaren F1 Team1:30.535+0.59720
710Pierre GaslyFRAScuderia AlphaTauri1:30.547+0.60920
824Zhou GuanyuCHNAlfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN1:30.860+0.92224
931Esteban OconFRABWT Alpine F1 Team1:30.861+0.92320
1020Kevin MagnussenDENHaas F1 Team1:30.921+0.98319
1155Carlos Sainz Jr.ESPScuderia Ferrari1:30.964+1.0269
123Daniel RicciardoAUSMcLaren F1 Team1:31.208+1.27023
1322Yuki TsunodaJAPScuderia AlphaTauri1:31.260+1.32223
145Sebastian VettelGERAston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team1:31.393+1.45523
1547Mick SchumacherGERUralkali Haas F1 Team1:31.587+1.64921
1618Lance StrollCANAston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team1:31.631+1.69323
1723Alexander AlbonTHAWilliams Racing1:31.710+1.77221
186Nicholas LatifiCANWilliams Racing1:32.913+2.97514
191Max VerstappenNEDOracle Red Bull RacingNo Time1
2077Valtteri BottasFINAlfa Romeo F1 Team ORLENNo Time0
13769 posts

About author
Long time motorsport fanatic, covering Formula 1 and the occassional other series. Feel free to give him a follow on Twitter at @Paul11MSport.
Articles
Related posts
Formula 1

2024 Australian Grand Prix - TCF Driver of the Weekend

2 Mins read
TheCheckeredFlag Driver of the Weekend is revealed for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix.
Formula 1

2024 Australian Grand Prix – What the Team Principals are Saying after the Race

7 Mins read
The ten Team Principals reflect on drivers performances at Albert Park during Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, a race that saw Ferrari claim their first win of 2024.
Formula 1

2024 Australian Grand Prix – What the Drivers are Saying after the Race – Part 2

7 Mins read
Those who missed out on points in Australia reflect on their races, including Max Verstappen, who retired from a Grand Prix for the first time since the same event in 2022.