Ferrari Sprint qualifying: Charles Leclerc splits Red Bull RB20 cars to take P2 | 2024 F1 Miami GP. Ferrari Sprint qualifying result and report in Miami.

In Miami, the curtain falls on F1 sprint qualifying: Max Verstappen takes pole over Charles Leclerc, here is the complete summary of the session.

SQ1 – McLaren shines, evolving track
The temperatures are slightly cooler than FP1, with the track at 46°C and the air at 29°C. Charles Leclerc is the first to hit the track, looking to make up for lost kilometers in the morning. In the first sprint qualifying session, the medium tire is used, and on his first attempt, Max Verstappen confirms himself just quicker than his rivals.

First lap and Max is first, but by only a few thousandths: Piastri and Perez are very close, while Alonso makes a fleeting brush with the wall at turn 16. The following laps are marked by significant track evolution, becoming more rubbered in and faster.

The Ferraris struggle a bit to get up to speed, confirming the SF-24’s poor abilities in warming up for a single lap. However, when the Ferrari drivers get going, they climb back to the level of the leaders, and the gaps to Verstappen are negligible.

In the final stages of SQ1, Bottas’ impeding of Piastri is clear and the encounter is close. As time expires, McLaren makes a move, snatching the top from Verstappen: Norris first, Piastri second.

SQ2 – Deep night for Mercedes
Less time available, same mandatory compound. On medium tires, the fifteen qualified cars take to the track. In the very first attempt, McLaren confirms its excellent condition: Lando Norris lights up the timing board in purple with a 1:27.597, showcasing the improvements made in Miami at their best. Behind him are Perez and Leclerc, while Verstappen takes it easy and opts for a single attempt. Daniel Ricciardo kisses the wall and takes a risk, but with no consequences.

Less than two minutes from the end of SQ2, Max Verstappen begins his sole attempt, not irresistible, four tenths from Lando Norris’s first try.

The last attempt doesn’t significantly alter the hierarchy. The surprise doesn’t come at the front, but behind: Mercedes stays out of the final session, with Russell and Hamilton missing the Top 10 by a few thousandths.

SQ3 – McLaren disappears, Charles Leclerc reappears
The final sprint qualifying session starts in total calm. The drivers have just over five minutes on soft tires. The attempt is unique and the cars exit the pits in close succession.

In his only available attempt, Verstappen makes a slight error in S2 which, however, does not prevent him from claiming pole position. Max leads everyone, with just a tenth of a margin over Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque recovers from the lost FP1 and does so with an optimal lap. Norris spoils everything in the first sector and finishes ninth, ahead of only Hulkenberg.

But McLaren loses ground when switching from mediums to softs, as also shown by Piastri. The Australian doesn’t go beyond P6, behind Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari. Daniel Ricciardo impresses positively, managing to clock the fourth fastest time.

Sprint Qualifying result – top 10