Leclerc Fastest in Miami GP Practice Session

Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the sole 90-minute practice session for the 2026 Miami Grand Prix as Formula One resumed following a five-week break caused by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds. The Ferrari driver posted a 1:29.310 on soft tires at the Miami International Autodrome on Friday, leading Red Bull's Max Verstappen by 0.297 seconds with McLaren's Oscar Piastri third at 0.448 seconds off the pace.

The extended Free Practice 1 session, lengthened from the standard 60 minutes to accommodate the Sprint weekend format, recent rule refinements on aerodynamics, energy management and tire usage, and the lengthy calendar gap, served as the only on-track opportunity before Sprint Qualifying. Ten of the 11 teams introduced upgrades, with Ferrari bringing the most extensive package including a revised flip-flop rear wing on its SF-26, while Red Bull debuted a rotating rear-wing concept and McLaren unveiled major revisions to its MCL40.

Leclerc lowered the benchmark multiple times, first on hards with a 1:29.855 before improving decisively on softs aided by a tow. His teammate Lewis Hamilton finished fourth at 0.467 seconds behind, despite traffic...