Max Verstappen finally dominated the Friday practice program for the Miami Grand Prix. Red Bull and especially Max Verstappen confirmed his speed and dominance in all three sectors, when he was the only one to put together a lap under the 1:28.0 mark. Scuderia Ferrari pilots finished in second and third place.
The second training session was calmer than the opening session. Track temperatures dropped, the dust cleared and there was more rubber on the tarmac. Pilots no longer complained so intensely about the lack of grip and could finally push it hard.
Max Verstappen did not delay much and turned it around with purple times in all three sectors. The second Carlos Sainz escaped by almost four tenths of a second, while only Charles Leclerc and the fourth Sergio Pérez lost less than half a second.
However, the reigning world champion was once again annoyed by the headrest and HANS protection, and he even cursed on the radio. It turned out that the HANS was catching on Verstappen’s bump on the armrest, so he couldn’t turn his head freely. Therefore, he spent several minutes in the garage and even the FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer appeared in it. It should be noted that the Dutchman complained about the support in Azerbaijan and during the first training session.
However, Charles Leclerc had bigger problems, who took care of the only red flag of the second practice. During the eighth turn, he momentarily lost control of the rear of his car, which he managed to correct, but the car spun to the other side and headed straight for the barrier. Leclerc left behind long black streaks.
After hitting the barrier, however, he breathed a sigh of relief that he only destroyed the front wing and the right front suspension. Ferrari brought a new floor to Miami, which it certainly does not want to destroy. According to Italian insiders and Marc Gené, it worked great in the first training session.
Fernando Alonso also raced on Friday when he found himself behind Esteban Ocon during the long drives. Alpine won’t and won’t let him go, so Alonso sarcastically commented that he was happy for them. Let them enjoy the training, they say it can belong to them. The Spaniard eventually took fifth place and left the Alpins far behind.
Lando Norris surprised by winning the sixth place and a great first sector, in which only Max Verstappen was faster than him. Behind him was another Briton in the starting field, Lewis Hamilton. After the practice double from FP1, the Mercedes finished in seventh and fifteenth place. George Russell first boasted about Oscar Piastri and the turbulent air behind his single-seater, later he noted that he was passing the second corner on three wheels.
Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon and finally Alex Albon made their way into the top ten, who, just like in the first practice, this time also had to use the run-out zone in the seventeenth turn.
Overview of sector times:
2023-05-05 21:23:53
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