Miami Grand Prix 2024: Max Verstappen dominates FP1, find the final standings here

Red Bull Racings Max Verstappen continues to dominate the Miami Grand Prix as he finished fastest in the solitary free practice session on Friday. Verstappen had a turnaround in the final moments to clinch the top position despite complaining that he was driving on “eggshells.”

Verstappen has been the standout performer this season, clinching victory in four out of the initial five races before this weekend’s event in the Sunshine State. Despite a sluggish start in the one-hour session, where he found himself languishing at the bottom of the leaderboard, Verstappen surged to the forefront in the closing moments. 

He powered his Red Bull to the top spot, fending off McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by a narrow margin of 0.105 seconds. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz secured the third position, just ahead of Mercedes' George Russell. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton had to settle for seventh place, while Lando Norris struggled and finished in 16th position in his McLaren.  

Charles Leclerc avoids a dangerous collision! 

Throughout the majority of the opening session this weekend, Verstappen seemed to be grappling with the handling of his Red Bull. "The tyres are way too hot, and I have no grip. It is like driving on eggshells”, he remarked after running off the road at Turn 17. However, despite his complaints, the 26-year-old managed to guide his machine to the top of the practice leaderboard. 

The only practice session at Miami was briefly halted for eight minutes following Charles Leclerc's spinout in the initial stages. Leclerc lost control of his Ferrari while navigating Turn 16 at a reduced pace. 

With his car obstructing the temporary track, red flags were waved, prompting the suspension. Consequently, the Monegasque driver had to observe the session from the rear of the Ferrari garage, missing out on valuable preparation time for the remainder of the weekend.

Here is the final standings: