F1 Miami GP LIVE: Race start time and schedule after Max Verstappen takes pole and Lewis Hamilton goes out in Q2

Independent

04-05-2025

Max Verstappen took pole in a close qualifying session at the Miami Grand Prix on Saturday as Oscar Piastri finished outside the top three for the first time this season.
The Australian was fourth, with Lando Norris backing up his win in Saturday's sprint with second, only 0.065s off Verstappen's pace.
Teenager Kimi Antonelli sprung the surprise of the season so far by taking pole position for Saturday's sprint race in Miami and continued his brilliant rookie campaign with third place in qualifying, 0.002s shy of Norris.
But it was a dismal afternoon for Lewis Hamilton, who dropped from third in the sprint to 11th in qualifying as he went out in Q2 for the first time at Ferrari. His teammate Charles Leclerc fared little better as both drivers struggled with their cars, with the Monegasque qualifying ninth.
Three races, two teams – but F1 in the United States is still missing one key component
The sorry sight of Floridian youngster Logan Sargeant trudging away from his burning Williams car last summer at the Dutch Grand Prix represented his final failed foray in Formula One. Quickly axed by team principal James Vowles, Sargeant lost his F1 seat after 36 races and one point. In doing so, a rare US presence among the 20-driver grid was no more.
Since Mario Andretti won the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix – the same year he claimed his sole F1 world championship, America's only title to this day – no US driver has won a race. In fact, in the 47 years since, only Eddie Cheever in the 1980s has recorded more than one podium. Sargeant's only point, awarded post-race in Austin in 2023, was America's first point in the drivers' standings since Mario's son, Michael, finished third in Monza in 1994.
A puzzling record, you may think, for a sport which has in the last decade boomed almost unfathomably across the Atlantic. Miami, which debuted in 2022 a year ahead of the Las Vegas night race, hosts its fourth edition this weekend with its typical high-octane offering of sunshine, showbiz and style.
The missing piece for F1 in the US despite three races and two teams
Miami hosts round six of the 2025 F1 season, but will have no American driver present on the grid
Flo Clifford4 May 2025 05:00
Mercedes announce release of Kimi Antonelli 'The Seat' documentary on Netflix
Mercedes have announced a new documentary, titled 'The Seat', that will air on Netflix next week, charting Kimi Antonelli 's promotion to a race seat at the team in 2025.
The 45-minute documentary will reveal the 'private conversations' between Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and 18-year-old Italian prodigy Antonelli last year, leading to the teenager taking Lewis Hamilton 's seat at the Silver Arrows.
Flo Clifford4 May 2025 04:00
F1 agrees extension with Mexican Grand Prix despite absence of key driver
F1 has agreed a three-year extension with the Mexican Grand Prix, taking the race to at least the 2028 season.
Mexico City 's previous deal with the sport expired after this year's race in October, with an extension seemingly up in the air given the absence of home hero Sergio Perez from this year's grid.
But despite that, on Wednesday, F1 announced the contract extension, with a three-year deal taking the race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez into a 13th year in the modern era.
Perez, who was dropped by Red Bull after a poor 2024 campaign, is also being strongly linked with a 2026 race seat at Cadillac, with the American-owned outfit joining the sport as an 11th team next season.
Flo Clifford4 May 2025 03:00
George Russell on prospect of FIA swearing rules changing:
'We want to see these things put into action rather than saying 'we're considering things,'' Russell said.
'You know, we all consider a lot of things.
'We're clear we want changes and once they are implemented then we'll comment. But for the time being, it's being considered. So those words don't mean anything until the change has been made.'
Flo Clifford4 May 2025 02:00
Stefano Domenicali on Miami's new deal until 2041:
'We believe that the credibility and multiplicity to make sure that we stay here for a long time can be the right story to be relevant, and that's what we need to do in this market, because, as I said, we are growing, but we are still small.
'We want to think bigger and bigger.
'[This event] could be one of the most important pillars for our growth in this country'
Flo Clifford4 May 2025 01:00
Miami signs new 10-year contract extension!
Formula One has announced a record long contract with the Miami Grand Prix until at least the 2041 season.
The 10-year extension, with the previous deal expiring in 2031, was announced on Friday ahead of the 2025 event starting at Miami Gardens.
It is now F1 's longest current contract with a grand prix, with Australia the nearest now with a deal until 2037.
Flo Clifford4 May 2025 00:30
Contrasting fortunes for Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli said he wanted to bounce back from losing pole in the sprint race and he certainly did that, qualifying third-quickest on Saturday.
'Really really happy with how every weekend I'm more with the car and trying to explore the limit as well. And so far this weekend, I felt really good in the car. So that's definitely a positive,' the 18-year-old said.
Compare that to teammate George Russell, who was fifth in qualifying, his worst result of the season, and said on race radio through qualy that he had 'no confidence' in the car.
Flo Clifford3 May 2025 23:50
'Far too early' to think about championship - Piastri
'I will still try to get as many points as I can,' Piastri says when asked about the drivers' championship.
'It's far too early to start thinking about the championship, so I will try to make up as many places as I can but just to get a good result tomorrow over anything else.'
Flo Clifford3 May 2025 23:40
Piastri 'couldn't get into the rhythm' in Q3
'I fell out of the rhythm a little bit,' Oscar Piastri (qualified fourth) says. 'My best lap of qualifying was the first lap of Q2. I peaked a bit early.
'I couldn't get into the rhythm in Q3. The car was great and deserved more but both laps in Q3 were quite scruffy. That's the price you pay."
'It's going to be tight at the front [in the race]. We saw how close qualifying was and it's going to be tough to make progress.
'I think you can, and the weather is not that straightforward, so I think we can make progress but it will be difficult.'
Flo Clifford3 May 2025 23:30
'His ability to focus is insane' - Horner
'He's walking a step higher and becoming a father, welcome a beautiful little girl into the world is a massive thing,' Horner continues.
'But we see time and time again, when he crosses that line into the garage and puts his helmet on, everything disappears. His ability to focus and deliver is insane. It's really truly impressive.'