2023-05-05 22:24:00
George Russell was fastest in the first free practice session in Miami, ahead of Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Briton George Russell (Mercedes) set the fastest time in the first free practice session of the Miami Grand Prix, fifth round of the Formula 1 World Championship, on Friday at the Miami International Autodrome (5.412 km) in Miami Gardens ( UNITED STATES).
He edged out team-mate and compatriot Lewis Hamilton and Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), while reigning double world champion and championship leader Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) took fourth place.
Spaniard Carlos Sainz placed the second Ferrari in fifth position, ahead of Frenchman Pierre Gasly’s Alpine and the Aston Martins of veteran Spanish Fernando Alonso and Canadian Lance Stroll.
The German Nico Hülkenberg (Haas) set the ninth fastest time before hitting the wall, causing a red flag and therefore the interruption of the session for a few minutes, the time to evacuate his car.
Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine) completes the Top 10, while Sergio Pérez, winner on Sunday in Azerbaijan and who is hot on the heels of Verstappen in the world championship, only achieved the 11th time.
To everyone’s surprise, the Mercedes therefore dominated this first free practice session by winning the two fastest times in the last minutes, while Verstappen had long been in the lead. This result bodes well for the Silver Arrows, who had a somewhat disappointing weekend in Azerbaijan a few days ago.
Ferrari, which finally clinched its first podium of the season with Leclerc’s third place in Baku, was also to its advantage on Friday in the Florida heat (30 degrees in the shade).
Red Bull, once is not custom, was a little behind but we must not draw hasty conclusions because we do not know the quantity of fuel on board the single-seaters and the adjustments that the Austrian team intended to make during this session.
After a calamitous weekend in Azerbaijan, the French Alpine team recovered its head by placing its two cars in the Top 10, but will have to confirm during the second free practice session, which is scheduled for the end of the evening in France. , from 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
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