Mercedes faced an early setback at the Miami Grand Prix after Kimi Antonelli suffered a power unit issue during Friday’s extended practice session, while teammate George Russell couldn’t match the pace at the front.
Formula 1 teams were given an unusual 90-minute FP1 session to start the Miami weekend. The extra 30 minutes came after the cancellations of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain Grands Prix created a five-week gap between races. With Miami also running to the sprint format, teams only get one practice session before sprint qualifying, so the FIA opted to give them more time to work through updates.
Most teams arrived in Florida with new parts, though Aston Martin notably did not bring any upgrades. The session itself was largely incident-free, but late drama for Mercedes raised questions ahead of sprint qualifying.
*Antonelli Stops Early With PU Problem*
Kimi Antonelli’s session ended prematurely when a power unit issue forced him to stop on track. The 18-year-old, who leads the drivers’ championship after winning the last two races, was unable to complete a qualifying simulation run on soft tyres.
That’s a significant blow on a sprint weekend. With only one practice session, missing soft-tyre laps means Antonelli heads into sprint qualifying without representative data on the fastest compound. For a driver fighting for the title, it’s far from ideal preparation.
His teammate George Russell also struggled to make an impact. Russell, second in the standings, ended FP1 only sixth fastest. His best time was 0.790s slower than Charles Leclerc’s benchmark for Ferrari. For a team that dominated the opening three rounds, Mercedes looked unusually off the pace.
*Leclerc Leads, Red Bull Unveil New Wing*
Charles Leclerc topped the session for Ferrari with a 1:29.310, showing strong one-lap pace around the Miami International Autodrome. Max Verstappen was second for Red Bull, 0.297s behind, while Oscar Piastri put McLaren third, 0.448s off Leclerc.
Lewis Hamilton made it two Ferraris in the top four, just behind Piastri. Antonelli, despite his issue, was fifth fastest before stopping, with Russell sixth. Lando Norris was seventh in the second McLaren, nearly nine tenths down on Leclerc.
Another talking point from FP1 was Red Bull’s new rear wing. Dubbed the ‘Macarena’ by the paddock, it features a more dramatic flip in its upper element compared to Ferrari’s version. The design is aimed at improving efficiency and top speed, and its debut in Miami suggests Red Bull is still pushing development hard despite Mercedes’ early-season advantage.
Further down, Pierre Gasly was eighth for Alpine, ahead of Isack Hadjar in ninth for Red Bull. Carlos Sainz rounded out the top 10 for Williams. Aston Martin’s lack of upgrades showed, with Fernando Alonso down in 19th and Lance Stroll last in 22nd.
*Mercedes’ Silver Armour Shows Cracks*
The session highlighted potential vulnerability for Mercedes. After winning all three races so far in 2026, the team arrived in Miami as favorites. But Antonelli’s reliability problem and Russell’s lack of pace will concern Toto Wolff.
Antonelli’s championship lead is built on momentum, with back-to-back wins vaulting him ahead of Russell. Missing soft-tyre running hurts his preparation for sprint qualifying later on Friday, where grid position is critical. On a street circuit like Miami, track position is everything, and starting out of place can compromise the whole weekend.
Russell’s gap to Leclerc was also notable. More than three-quarters of a second off the pace is unusual for Mercedes this year. While it’s only practice, the team will need to find answers quickly before sprint qualifying.
*Lightning Threat Looms*
There’s another factor Mercedes and the rest of the grid must consider: weather. Thunderstorms are forecast for Sunday’s race, which could turn the Miami Grand Prix into a lottery. If rain arrives, practice pace may mean little, but reliability issues like Antonelli’s become even more costly in mixed conditions.
For now, Ferrari and Red Bull will be encouraged by their FP1 performance. Leclerc looked comfortable, Verstappen was close, and both teams showed strong long-run pace earlier in the session. McLaren also looked solid with Piastri third.
*Miami Grand Prix FP1 Times*
1. Charles Leclerc – 1:29.310
2. Max Verstappen [Red Bull] – +0.297
3. Oscar Piastri – +0.448
4. Lewis Hamilton – +0.467
5. Kimi Antonelli – +0.769
6. George Russell – +0.790
7. Lando Norris – +0.898
8. Pierre Gasly – +1.277
9. Isack Hadjar [Red Bull] – +1.563
10. Carlos Sainz – +1.620
11. Franco Colapinto – +1.705
12. Alex Albon – +1.714
13. Oliver Bearman – +1.781
14. Gabriel Bortoleto – +1.801
15. Nico Hulkenberg – +2.285
16. Esteban Ocon – +2.325
17. Liam Lawson [Racing Bulls] – +2.338
18. Sergio Perez – +2.737
19. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin] – +3.283
20. Valtteri Bottas – +3.452
21. Arvid Lindblad [Racing Bulls] – +3.552
22. Lance Stroll [Aston Martin] – +3.649[Ferrari][McLaren][Mercedes][Alpine][Williams][Haas][Audi][Cadillac]
With sprint qualifying next, Mercedes has work to do. Antonelli needs a clean session to recover from his lost track time, while Russell must find more speed. After a flawless start to 2026, Miami has already delivered the first signs that Mercedes’ dominance might be under threat.