Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the only practice session at the Miami Grand Prix, beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.164 seconds. Leclerc’s lap clocked in at 1:35.612, while Verstappen followed in 1:35.776. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri rounded the top three, with Lewis Hamilton just behind. The session marked the season’s return after a five‑week hiatus for the year in Miami.

Mercedes battled technical woes, with George Russell resolving a turbo glitch after a garage reset but still lagging 0.790 seconds behind Leclerc. Russell’s time placed him sixth, a spot behind teammate Kimi Antonelli, who missed the final soft‑tyre stint as the team investigated an engine fault during the morning practice session today.

The gap between Leclerc and Verstappen underscores the tight battle for the championship. With Ferrari’s pace evident, Red Bull will need to extract more from their car to keep up. Mercedes’ early setbacks could dent their bid for the season’s top spots once the race weekend begins in Miami on the Friday race day today.

As the weekend progresses, teams will focus on refining setups after the first practice insights. Drivers and engineers alike will weigh the data to decide whether to push for softer tyres or maintain a conservative approach. The outcome will set the tone for Miami’s opening race of the season in 2024 Grand Prix in Miami.