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F1 LIVE | The third and final free practice for the 2023 Miami Grand Prix
The Miami Grand Prix weekend enters the final practice session. F1 teams and drivers have one last 60 minutes to tinker with the set-ups and prepare the cars for the meaningful weekend sessions. Will Red Bull continue to impress, or will Ferrari and Mercedes make some ground ahead of qualifying this afternoon? You can find out on the GPblog liveblog below.
FP3 LIVE | 2023 Miami Grand Prix
A fired-up Verstappen?
In Miami, eyes are once again on Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. The two drivers seem very close in 2023, ensuring the championship is still somewhat exciting. The first two races were split between the two drivers, but who will be the first to take his third win of the year?
During the third free practice at the Miami International Autodrome, the F1 drivers will complete some long runs before qualifying simulations at the end of the session. Last year, Ferrari managed to take the spoils on Saturday, but Verstappen walked away with the bulk of the points come race day.
Mercedes, Ferrari and Aston Martin will again be battling for the final place on the podium. Last weekend, Ferrari and Charles Leclerc had a really strong single-lap pace and therefore secured both pole positions. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will hope their Mercedes car can continue to be stronger, whilst Fernando Alonso hopes to return to the front after Baku didn't suit his car.
The weekend so far
Surprisingly, George Russell led a Mercedes one-two in the first free practice session. Fitted with new parts in the power unit, Mercedes turned their engines up slightly more than others and completed their fastest laps when the circuit was in the best condition. After that, normal service resumed in FP2, where Verstappen took control of P1.
The long-run data also put Verstappen and Red Bull ahead of their rivals. They seem to have the weekend wrapped up, but the third free practice session will indicate whether their opponents have made some improvements overnight. The weather is also expected to play a part in proceedings, with some showers forecast later today and on Sunday.