[F1] – Good evening dear readers of FormulaPassion.it and welcome to the appointment dedicated to the written live coverage of the first free practice session of Miami Grand Prixfifth round of the 2023 F1 World Championship.
New fund for Ferraris
After the poles and podiums in Baku, the Scuderia from Maranello is looking for confirmation in Florida and Miami with the first important updates to the SF-23. Red Bull, on the other hand, flaunts a special livery as a result of the Make Your Mark competition won on this first occasion by Martina Andriano.
Session in progress
20.40 – We’ll see how the drivers use their remaining minutes when track action resumes.
20.37 – Hulkenberg, making his debut in Miami, was having a great session so far. He lost the rear and certainly damaged the right front suspension.
20.35 – This is the top 10:
1. Verstappen
2. Hulkenberg
3. Perez
4. Magnussen
5. Albon
6. Leclerc
7. Alonso
8. Hamilton
9. Ocon
10. Plates
20.34 – Via radio Verstappen complained that the Hans (the neck protection system) got stuck in the last corner.
20.33 – Red flagHulkenberg against the wall in Turn-3.
20.32 – Verstappen made a mistake in T1, yet signs a 1’31″054Perez remains third at 527 thousandths.
20.30 – Verstappen launches, behind him Perez.
20.29 – Even the Red Bulls now take to the track with the soft tyre. No changes on the RB19 after the first run.
20.28 – Russell returns to the track with the medium tyre. Third time trial for Magnussen at the end of his first lap on the soft tyre.
20.27 – Hulkenberg takes the lead in 1’31″392.
20.26 – Hulkenberg launches with soft tires.
20.25 – The Ferraris also returned to the pits at the end of this first run on the same tires as the Red Bulls.
20.24 – This is the top 10:
1. Verstappen
2. Leclerc
3. Alonso
4. Hamilton
5. Perez
6. Ocon
7. Sainz
8. Albon
9. Stroll
10. Tsunoda
20.22 – Leclerc improves, he approaches 652 thousandths of Verstappen.
20.21 – Best time in T1 for Alonso with the medium tyre, but he ends the lap seven tenths behind, climbing to third position.
20.20 – The Red Bull drivers have returned to the pits, the Ferraris continue to lap instead, Sainz is also fifth behind Hamilton and Perez.
20.18 – Leclerc climbs into second position, seven tenths behind Verstappen.
20.17 – Verstappen lowers again: 1’31″826Hamilton pays more than a second despite the medium tire.
20.15 – This is the top 10:
1. Verstappen
2. Hamilton
3. Sainz
4. Perez
5. Alonso
6. Leclerc
7. Ocon
8. Albon
9. Gasley
10. Hulkenberg
20.13 – Evolution of the obviously sensitive track, now Verstappen is back in front in 1’32″465. The Red Bull driver underlined on the radio that you only need to finish a millimeter off the line to have no grip.
20.11 – First Sainz and then Hamilton take the lead: 1’32″967 the new limit.
20.10 – Hulkenberg moved into second position, four tenths behind Verstappen on the same hard tyre.
20.09 – Slightly long for Lelcerc in Curva-12.
20.08 – For now, Sainz pays Verstappen a second for the same tires.
20.07 – Verstappen with hard rubber does better in 1’34″054. Russell has vibrations related to the steering, he asks to intervene even if he were to request 30 minutes of time. The Mercedes driver returned to the pits.
20.06 – Hamilton stops the clock on1’34″527. Perez also made the same mistake as Verstappen in Turn-1.
20.05 – Long in Turn-1 Verstappen, the Red Bull #1 has the green paint to study the new bellies.
20.04 – Russell is running on medium tires and reports large vibrations.
20.03 – In the pits there are only Bottas, Norris and Albon.
20.02 – Verstappen and Perez start their work with hard tyres.
20.01 – Several riders immediately took to the track to test the new asphalt of the US track.
20.00 – Green light at the bottom of the pit lane, the first free practice session of the Miami GP begins.
19.57 – 29°C the air temperature, 49°C that of the asphalt, already quite high.
19.55 – In PL1 the new fund will only be mounted on Leclerc’s Ferrari, Sainz will ride with the old one for the fundamental data comparison.
19.50 – Fernando Alonso is convinced that Aston Martin is the second force on the track, the standings actually say this at the moment, we’ll see if the updates from Ferrari will overturn the convictions of the two-time world champion.
19.45 – Compared to a week ago, this time the format will not be Sprint, teams and riders will be able to work over the three free practice sessions in view of Qualifying and the Race.
19.40 – Lewis Hamilton will race in Miami with a helmet in defense of the rights of the LGBT+ community, attacked by the Republican governor Ron DeSantis.
19.30 – Let’s start our report with the details communicated by the FIA about the innovations brought to Florida by Ferrari.