Charles Leclerc tops Miami practice as Mercedes hit engine trouble
Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the only practice session for the Miami Grand Prix as championship leaders Mercedes encountered significant power unit issues.
The Monegasque driver capitalised on a heavily upgraded car to beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.297 seconds on Formula 1’s return to action.
Oscar Piastri secured third place, though his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris showed competitive pace before traffic compromised his flying lap.
Lewis Hamilton finished almost half a second adrift of Leclerc, trailing his new colleague throughout the 90-minute session.
Mercedes dominant start under threat
The Brackley-based squad have won the opening three races of the 2026 season and arrived in Florida unbeaten in competitive sessions.
However, they have brought minimal upgrades compared to the substantial new floors introduced by McLaren, Red Bull, and the Scuderia.
Their primary concern will be the mechanical gremlins that severely restricted track time for both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
“It sounds like a steam train.”
That was Russell’s radio message as he reported a strange noise from his engine, while his Italian partner failed to complete a crucial soft-tyre run entirely.
Antonelli defends championship lead
The teenage sensation currently leads the Drivers’ Championship, holding a nine-point advantage over his more experienced team-mate.
With Sprint Qualifying scheduled for Friday evening, the Silver Arrows face an urgent battle to resolve their reliability concerns.
The early indications suggest they may no longer possess the outright fastest machinery on the Miami International Autodrome.