07/05/2022
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session, the air temperature is 33.5 degrees C, while the track temperature is 53.6 degrees. There is a 20% chance of rain.
We say "all-important", because, by the look of things, overtaking is going to be nigh impossible here, despite the three DRS zones.
Other than being very narrow - worryingly so when you consider the size of these cars - the track is bumpy and there is virtually no grip should you venture off the racing line. Add in those ever welcoming barriers and you have a recipe for disaster.
With every practice session interrupted by at least one red flag stoppage we see no reason why that will not continue over the next hour and into tomorrow.
And then there's traffic...
Consequently, despite the fact that Red Bull and Ferrari head into the session as favourites, the fact is that anything can, and probably will happen.
The various interruptions have also limited the amount of running on high fuel but the impact of this will be felt tomorrow, nonetheless we are expecting a few shocks and surprises over the next hour.
The big disappointment earlier is that Mercedes appears to have taken a step backwards, the dreaded porpoising far more noticeable than yesterday.
Other to watch out for are Alonso, Bottas and the Haas pair.
Despite its best intentions, following his crash earlier, Alpine has revealed that Esteban Ocon's car has suffered a cracked chassis, therefore the Frenchman is ruled out of the session.
And then there were 19.
The lights go green. Magnussen is first out, followed by Schumacher, Albon, Vettel, Tsunoda, Gasly and Stroll.
Leclerc is among the early risers, like the rest he is sporting softs.
Magnussen gets proceedings underway with a 33.148, but a 32.495 sees Albon go top.
Vettel posts 32.212, Tsunoda 31.944 and Stroll a 31.789.
Sainz is the first of the big guns to post a time, the Spaniard crossing the line at 30.858. Moments later Leclerc posts 31.349, but Ricciardo leapfrogs the Monegasque with a 31.275.
Gasly has his time deleted for exceeding the track limits at Turn 13.
Verstappen goes top with a 30.235 and his teammate second with a 30.778.
Russell goes third with a 30.807as Hamilton aborts his first flying lap.
Next time around the seven-time world champion posts a 31.550 to go 12th.
A 31.020 sees Zhou go fifth, ahead of Ricciardo, Leclerc, Alonso, Schumacher and Norris.
Hamilton very scrappy, the Briton is clearly (still) not as comfortable with the W13 as his teammate.
As Magnussen goes seventh, Leclerc goes quickest in the first two sectors, as Sainz goes quickest overall with a 30.079. However, Leclerc subsequently crosses the line at 29.474.
Verstappen improves (29.836), but can only mange second, 0.362s off Leclerc's pace.
Alonso goes eleventh, ahead of Zhou and Schumacher, the Spaniard having brushed the wall at Turn 15.
With 5:00 remaining, Hamilton is in the drop zone, along with Gasly, Latifi, Albon and, of course, Ocon.
Hamilton stops and takes on another set of softs, as teammate Russell falls down the order to eighth.
Albon improves to 14th with a 31.266 but is demoted when Tsunoda goes fifth and Gasly 10th.
A 30.490 sees Russell improve to 6th.
As was the case in Imola, Hamilton finds himself at the tail of a long train of cars, some on flying laps others on out laps.
He posts a PB in S1 and another in the second sector. At the line he posts 30.388 to go fifth, which should be enough.
A massive traffic jam in the final sector costs Zhou any chance of improving, while Alonso also looks likely to miss out.
"So many cars blocked me on my flying lap," says the Chinese driver, "we need to report this, it is very dangerous."
Norris doesn't improve on 11th, as Stroll goes sixth.
Alonso does improve, he goes sixth with a 30.407, while Vettel posts 30.677 to go 12th.
A late improvement also sees Perez go third with a 30.055.
Quickest is Leclerc, ahead of Verstappen, Perez, Sainz, Hamilton, Alonso, Stroll, Tsunoda, Russell and Ricciardo.
We lose Magnussen, Zhou, Albon and Latifi.
Ahead of Q2, Schumacher waits patiently at the end of the pitlane. He is subsequently joined by Leclerc, Sainz and Bottas.
Schumacher posts a 30.423, but this is almost instantly beaten by Leclerc (29.754) and Sainz (29.729).
As Bottas goes fourth with a 30.605, Verstappen posts a 29.202 and Perez a 29.673 to make it a Red Bull 1-2. Used softs very much the order of the day... for now.
Hamilton goes fifth with a 29.797, ahead of Norris (30.289), while Ricciardo posts a 31.129 to claim ninth.
Perez reports that he's losing traction in the final corner.
Gasly goes sixth and Tsunoda seventh, as Stroll posts a 30.363 to go ninth.
Bottas improves to seventh with a 30.237.
Alonso goes 8th and Vettel 13th, as Russell, the only driver yet to post a time, finally heads out.
"****, bouncing," reports Russell who is on new softs.
Leclerc retakes the top spot with a 29.130 while teammate Sainz fails to improve on his previous best and remains 4th.
His next flying lap sees Russell post 3.173 to go seventh, but is it enough?
With 3:30 remaining, Norris, Stroll, Schumacher, Vettel and Ricciardo comprise the drop zone.
On board with Hamilton and he's really struggling. He fails to improve on fifth.
PBs in the opening sector for the Aston Martin pair and Bottas. Norris has upped his pace also.
Vettel goes eighth (30.214), but is demoted when Stroll goes seventh. Bottas goes fifth while Russell pits.
"Argh no, I lost it in the chicane," moans Vettel.
Norris goes third and Tsunoda ninth, which is bad news for Alonso.
PBs in the first two sectors for Ricciardo are followed by a third, however, the Australian can only manage 14th and therefore fails to make the cut.
Quickest is Leclerc, ahead of Verstappen, Norris, Perez, Sainz, Bottas, Hamilton, Stroll, Tsunoda and Gasly.
Told he is P9, Tsunoda responds: "Let's go, let's go. I'm happy, let's go!"
We lose Alonso, Russell, Vettel, Ricciardo and Schumacher. A big surprise to see the Australian fail to make the cut since he has looked strong in the previous sessions.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Miami, here.
Leclerc leads the way as the lights go green for Q3. He is followed by Sainz, Bottas, Stroll, Norris and the Bulls.
Leclerc sets the benchmark with a 29.055, while teammate Sainz is just 0.016s off the pace.
Bottas can only manage 29.932 as Verstappen stops the clock at 28.991.
Perez goes fourth with a 29.498, ahead of Bottas, Hamilton, Norris, Tsunoda, Stroll and Gasly.
The top three are covered by just 0.080s, Perez a further 0.5s behind.
Stroll leads the way as the final assault gets underway. Next out are Leclerc, Sainz, Hamilton and Bottas. As the remaining five head out, all are sporting fresh softs.
Leclerc trade fastest times in S1, but the Monegasque has the edge in S2.
At the line Leclerc posts 28.796 to take provisional pole, while Sainz posts a 28.986.
Verstappen appears to have an issue and aborts his lap while Perez consolidates his fourth with a 29.036.
"I suddenly got so much oversteer," reports the world champion.
Bottas is fifth, ahead of Hamilton, Gasly, Norris, Tsunoda and Stroll.
So, Leclerc will start from pole for the third time this season, and is joined on the front row by Ferrari teammate Sainz.
It's an all Red Bull second row, ahead of Bottas, Hamilton, Gasly, Norris, Tsunoda and Stroll.
Alonso will start eleventh, ahead of Russell, Vettel, Ricciardo, Schumacher, Magnussen, Zhou, Albon, Latifi and Ocon.
"Overall I'm pretty pleased with qualifying," insists Verstappen. "Today was still trying to learn the track, so to be that competitive in qualifying was a surprise.
"Of course you want to be on pole," he adds, "but from where we came from, it's a good job.
"We have a good chance for tomorrow, we have good top speed."
"Building back from a heavy crash yesterday, it wasn't easy to get the confidence back at a tricky circuit," says Sainz.
"I think I kept it cool for Q3, given where I was coming from yesterday, I'll take it.
"I haven't done any long runs yet," he admits, "I haven't put the fuel in so the laps to the grid will be the first time I try that."
"Today went well," says Leclerc in a masterpiece of understatement, "we are starting on pole and we need to finish the job tomorrow.
"They (Red Bull) are extremely quick in the straight lines, we are quick in the corners," he adds.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Miami, here.