The Miami International Autodrome hosts Round 6 of the 2025 F1 season, with FP1 the first and final practice session of the Miami GP sprint weekend, full report and results below.
Since FP1 serves as the sole practice session this weekend, only a handful of teams brought upgrades to Miami.
Red Bull is the only team among the front runners to bring a floor upgrade to the Miami GP, which is targeted at enhancing performance.
Thus, it will be interesting to see whether the upgrade will enable Red Bull to close in on McLaren, who are currently leading both Championships.
Oscar Piastri heads into the Miami GP as the Championship leader, with only 10 points separating him from McLaren teammate Lando Norris and 12 points ahead of Max Verstappen in P3.
With the margins in the Drivers’ Championship this tight and a limited amount of practice ahead of the competitive sessions, the teams will be looking to fine-tune their setups during FP1.
Green Light
FP1 of the F1 Miami GP starts with several cars eager to hit the track, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri the first one out on track on the medium tyre.
After the first timed laps, George Russell is fastest in the Mercedes, setting a time of 1:29.798, just 0.010 ahead of Max Verstappen in the Red Bull.
Trouble in the opening stages
Despite setting the fastest time, Russell comes on the radio to complain about his steering wheel.
He isn’t the only driver to encounter trouble early in the session. Yuki Tsunoda complained about his seat, while Norris had to come to the pits as McLaren had left tools inside the car.
The stewards will investigate this incident car after the session.
Settling into a rhythm
During their first runs on the medium tyres, Red Bull, Mercedes, and McLaren continue to battle it out in front, with the lead constantly changing.
Chasing the fastest time, Russell has a little moment in Turn 14, narrowly missing a brush with the wall.
Twenty minutes into FP1 of the Miami GP, George Russell is on top of the timing sheets with a time of 1:28.058.
Nearing the halfway point of this FP1 session, more and more cars file into the pits to prepare for their second run.
After 30 minutes of running, Russell is on top of the timing sheets, with Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli and Williams’ Carlos Sainz completing the Top 3.
Second run
After a brief intermission in the pits, more cars head back out on track to continue their runs.
We have yet to see the front-runners try out the soft compound as they continue their run plan on used mediums.
Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg is the only driver to try out the soft compound at this Miami GP FP1 session stage.
With the drivers completing long runs, there aren’t any changes on the timing sheets.
Close call for Norris and Ocon
Lando Norris speeds down the Miami circuit in his McLaren, but a sluggish Haas driven by Esteban Ocon obstructs his path on the racing line.
The Briton has to shift side to side to avoid contact with the Frenchman.
Soft tyre run
In the closing stages of this first and final practice session, more and more cars file out of the pits on the softest compound.
Williams’s Carlos Sainz sets the fastest time, a 1:27.678, with 10 minutes left in the session.
However, Sainz’s time doesn’t hold for long as first Verstappen, then Leclerc, and Piastri set the fastest time in quick succession.
Lando Norris cannot complete his fast lap as a Red Flag interrupts his run.
Red Flag
With only a few minutes left in FP1 of the Miami GP, the session comes to a halt when Haas’ Ollie Bearman stops at Turn 12.
The young Briton spun and hit the barriers, bringing out the red flag.
The session will not be resumed.
The full standings and results for FP1 at the F1 Miami GP:
- Oscar Piastri 1:27:128
- Charles Leclerc + 0.356
- Max Verstappen + 0.430
- Carlos Sainz + 0.550
- Alex Albon + 0.827
- Isack Hadjar + 0.840
- George Russell + 0.930
- Yuki Tsunoda + 1.027
- Kimi Antonelli + 1.099
- Fernando Alonso + 1.115
- Liam Lawson + 1.246
- Lando Norris + 1.263
- Lewis Hamilton + 1.428
- Nico Hülkenberg + 1.455
- Gabriel Bortoleto + 1.643
- Ollie Bearman + 1.867
- Pierre Gasly + 1.956
- Esteban Ocon + 2.051
- Jack Doohan + 2.229
- Lance Stroll + 2.234
