Oscar Piastri heads into Miami GP Sprint qualifying with the momentum after setting the pace in FP1.

Team-mate Lando Norris was looking good to mount a challenge against his team-mate and championship leader, after ditching the array of tools in his cockpit early doors as he reported “everything’s just falling apart”, but the crash for Haas Oliver Bearman ended FP1 premature, as Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen completed the top three.

Oscar Piastri sets the Miami GP FP1 pace

With the F1 Sprint format in action at the Miami Grand Prix, that meant FP1 was the sole hour of practice available to the drivers before heading into Sprint qualifying battle.

And Max Verstappen wasted little time in taking to the track as a father for the first time, after he and partner Kelly Piquet welcomed their daughter Lily into the world on the eve of the Miami race weekend.

Verstappen is running the upgraded Red Bull floor in Miami, where there were early teething issues for team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, whose seat was “too high”, while title rival Lando Norris reported “everything” was “falling apart” in the McLaren cockpit. He was soon noted for his McLaren potentially being released in an unsafe condition after a torch was left in it.

Mercedes’ George Russell meanwhile complained that the steering was “exceptionally heavy” and the W16 felt “so different”.

It did not stop Russell setting the early pace, but as the lap times ramped up, Verstappen hit the front, a 1:28.634 set on the medium Pirelli tyres the time to beat.

Russell swiftly bettered that by a tenth and a half, as the FP1 action continued at pace.

More from the Miami Grand Prix

👉 Miami Grand Prix here to stay as massive calendar extension signed

👉 Revealed: Three bold predictions for the 2025 Miami Grand Prix

By the halfway point, Russell had upped the benchmark to a 1:28.058 – “sparking a lot” as he did it – as the mediums remained the in-demand compound.

Norris was forced into some evasive action as he continued his run plan, encountering the slow-moving Esteban Ocon who had the same idea in the Haas as he picked the part of track to get out of the way, that Norris had chosen to pass him. Thankfully, contact was avoided.

Verstappen meanwhile was not happy with a car ahead “fully on the racing line”.

Heading into the final quarter of the session and the soft C5 tyre remained elusive, only Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg thus far giving it a go, the compounds having moved a step softer for this year’s Miami Grand Prix.

But, the temptation was just too much to resist, as the softs appeared to see out FP1.

With Piastri going top on a 1:27.128, Norris went purple in Sector 2 as he pursued his team-mate’s time, but the action was neutralised as Oliver Bearman crashed the Haas at Turn 12 and triggered the red flag. “Sorry” was Bearman’s message over the radio.

Losing the rear and smacking the wall, Bearman’s incident saw FP1 end under the red flag, as Piastri claimed P1 ahead of Charles Leclerc and Verstappen.

Full FP1 timesheet

1 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:27.128
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.356
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.430
4 Carlos Sainz Williams +0.550
5 Alexander Albon Williams +0.827
6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +0.840
7 George Russell Mercedes +0.930
8 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull Racing +1.027
9 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +1.099
10 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.115
11 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +1.246
12 Lando Norris McLaren +1.263
13 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +1.428
14 Nico Hulkenberg Kick Sauber +1.445
15 Gabriel Bortoleto Kick Sauber +1.643
16 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +1.868
17 Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.956
18 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +2.051
19 Jack Doohan Alpine +2.229
20 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +2.234

Read next: Lando Norris clears up disco ball helmet design after legality question