Yahoo Autos Sergio Perez takes Miami GP pole as Mercedes slam ‘nasty piece of work’ car
By Tom Cary in Miami
Lewis Hamilton said he was “praying for rain” after he could only qualify 13th for Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admitted the car's pace was “unacceptable” calling the W14 a “nasty piece of work”.
A dramatic qualifying session in Miami produced a fascinating, mixed-up grid for the second running of the race, with Red Bull’s double world world champion Max Verstappen only able to go ninth quickest as team-mate Sergio Pérez claimed pole.
Verstappen was caught out by a late red flag caused by a crash involving Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
The Monegasque driver came in for some criticism afterwards with former driver Jolyon Palmer telling the BBC he was getting a reputation for “win or bin”. Verstappen, though, said he had only himself to blame having aborted his first attempt at a flying lap in Q3. “Then you rely on a bit of luck of course that there is not going to be a red flag,” he admitted. “It can happen on a street circuit so I'm a bit upset with myself.”
In-form Pérez, who lies just six points behind Verstappen in the drivers’ standings following his victory in Baku last weekend, will hope to convert his pole position. The Mexican has Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz just behind him. It is the first time in history that the top three positions on a Formula One grid will be occupied by Hispanic drivers.
Hamilton – who had a brief scare in Q1 after clipping the wall trying to avoid Haas’ Kevin Magnussen – said it had been a “difficult” qualifying session for Mercedes. His team-mate George Russell will start sixth, although that was largely thanks to the late red flag.
“I’m hoping that the heavens are going to open [on Sunday] and we’re going to have some rain,” he said. “It’s not going to be easy to overtake the cars ahead of me. I wish we had a car that was able to contend for wins.”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff agreed with his driver, saying the planned upgrades for the next race in Imola could not come quickly enough. “The car is a nasty piece of work,” Wolff said bluntly. “We have no comprehension of why. I take no joy in being sixth. It is unacceptable.”
“There is not a lot to say to Lewis because the car is simply not fast enough. Putting him in a situation on his out lap where the driver is not able to prepare his tyres makes it even worse.”
Wolff said: “We are not trying to make mistakes. We are trying to give them the best position, and we have in the past got it wrong many times, and also got it right many times. But if things go bad they compound bad.
“I take no enjoyment from finishing sixth. It is the lack of comprehension of what it is that makes this car such a nasty piece of work.”
He added: “The car is not a nice one, not a good car. There are problems everywhere, with the base performance of the car and the lack of understanding of the car. The performance is just really bad.”
“The car is not bouncing on the straight. That is the only thing that is better than last year. The car is not fast enough and we don’t have any comprehension of why that is. It is just not acceptable.”
Miami Grand Prix, qualifying classification
Sergio Pérez (Mex) Red Bull 1min 26.841secs
Fernando Alonso (Spa) Aston Martin 1:27.202
Carlos Sainz Jnr. (Spa) Ferrari 1:27.349
Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 Team 1:27.767
Pierre Gasly (Fra) Alpine 1:27.786
George Russell (GB) Mercedes GP 1:27.804
Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:27.861
Esteban Ocon (Fra) Alpine 1:27.935
Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:26.814
Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:27.564
Alexander Albon (Tha) Williams 1:27.795
Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Haas F1 Team 1:27.903
Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes GP 1:27.975
Guanyu Zhou (Chn) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:28.091
Nyck de Vries (Ned) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:28.395
Lando Norris (GB) McLaren 1:28.394
Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:28.429
Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:28.476
Oscar Piastri (Aus) McLaren 1:28.484
Logan Sargeant (US) Williams 1:28.577
Miami Grand Prix qualifying, as it happened
10:24 PM
George Russell speaks after his sixth
"I wouldn't necessarily say quite pleased. It was a very flattering result for the performance that we showed. Everybody is working so, so hard to bring more performance to the car. It's definitely not through a lack of effort... it's just not coming to us at the moment. A few questions need answering."
10:22 PM
A disappointed Verstappen speaks
"Clearly, that was definitely a mistake of mine trying to put it on the limit. You rely on a bit of luck that there's not going to be a red flag. It can happen on a street circuit. Just a bit upset with myself. It's going to be tough. I have made it difficult for myself. Minimum P2 [tomorrow]."
Might be tough for him tomorrow to win. Perez probably now favourite to lead the standings after five grands prix... and a sprint race. Not impossible, though, and I doubt you would get very long odds on a Verstappen win.
10:17 PM
A word of balance, though, after my earlier enthusiasm
It'll still be a Red Bull 1-2. And probably after about 20 laps, too.
10:16 PM
Watch: Leclerc loses it and crashes out of qualifying
Charles Leclerc loses it on a flying lap causing the curtailment of Q3 ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/ZfHYhB7j2t
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 6, 2023
10:14 PM
That is a pretty mixed grid for tomorrow
Six different cars in the top six! Red Bull, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Haas, Alpine, Mercedes and seven in the top 10. Eight in the top 11, in fact.
Verstappen will have to fight his way through the field tomorrow to challenge Perez, most likely. I guess his issue is having a clean start. It's pretty easy to pick up a knock or worse in the opening laps when you're in that midfield.
10:10 PM
Sergio Perez speaks after his pole position
"I think it's been my worst weekend up to qualifying. A small change in qualifying... everything became more alive and we put the lap when we mattered. It wasn't coming together. It was one of those weekends where I was struggling for balance. I am enjoying... I am just thinking race by race, [my team] have done a tremendous job. Starting from pole we are the ones that we have [something] to lose."
10:08 PM
Fernando Alonso after he secured another front-row start
"It was a good qualifying, I think FP3 was a bit messy for us... the car came alive in qualifying. Extremely happy with P2, let's see what we can do. I did enjoy every lap, it was so enjoyable to drive especially the low speed corners here. You need to have that confidence in the car to really attack qualifying. I think it was difficult the whole weekend, it is a very narrow racing line that we are cleaning. Off line it gets very slippery."
He gets in a bit of a dig about his old team not believing in him and not believing in his ability to set up the car when asked why he's doing so well.
10:06 PM
Carlos Sainz speaks after his third place
"It was a very tricky quali for all it was very difficult to find the right feeling with the tyres on this tarmac... it was getting windier and windier which for our car is difficult. P3 is where we were targeting to be but I think we could be even better. It's the big unknown, how is our car going to perform in the heat... this weekend we should try and make a better job than the last one."
10:02 PM
Leclerc on the radio
"I'm sorry guys, I'm sorry," he says.
10:01 PM
Q3 ends - Classification
PER 1:26.841
ALO +0.361
SAI +0.508
MAG +0.926
GAS +0.945
RUS +0.963
LEC +1.020
OCO +1.094
VER (NO TIME)
BOT (NO TIME)
10:01 PM
SERGIO PEREZ TAKES POLE POSITION FOR THE 2023 MIAMI GRAND PRIX!
A bit of luck there but, you know what, he had the lap on the board and Verstappen did not.
Leclerc's tendency to crash comes back to bite him again... he has not been able to cut it out.
10:00 PM
RED FLAG
That's the session stopped and with just 96 seconds left on the clock we are notified that the session will not resume!
10:00 PM
Q3 - Leclerc into the barriers!
He gets a big tank slapper on, does at least a 360 and slides backwards into the wall... slowing down on the way a bit, but that's the end of his session.
Leclerc goes spinning off into the barriers!
🚩 RED FLAG 🚩 #MiamiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/tabpI1bSnm— Formula 1 (@F1) May 6, 2023
But will it be the end of the session? Yellow flags at the moment?
09:59 PM
Q3 - Let's see what these guys have got, then
A few men under pressure. A few men a bit higher than they will have expected...
09:56 PM
Q3 - I like the look of that grid below
Verstappen in a risky position here. He's only going to get one attempt. Another mistake and he could be starting 10th.
Leclerc also needs to find some time after his mistake.
09:55 PM
Q3 - Order and gaps after the first runs
PER 1:26.841
ALO +0.361
SAI +0.508
MAG +0.926
GAS +0.945
RUS +0.963
LEC +1.020
OCO +1.094
VER (NO TIME)
BOT (NO TIME)
09:54 PM
Q3 - A mistake from Leclerc!
He makes a mess of the hairpin towards the end of the lap and it costs him at least half a second if not more. He goes only sixth... a full second off Perez's time.
Sainz into third but a full half second off Perez...
09:54 PM
Q3 - Alonso into second
Gasly third, ahead of Russell and Ocon.
Leclerc could challenge Perez for provisional pole here as Magnussen goes third.
09:53 PM
Q3 - Perez continues on with a decent lap
Gets the car rotated well in the tricky and fiddly section in the middle of the lap.
He crosses the line with a 1:26.841... just a bit slower than Verstappen's fastest Q2 time.
09:52 PM
Q3 - The wind has picked up
And it perhaps causes Verstappen to back off on his first quick lap...
09:49 PM
Q3 begins!
Verstappen the first man out there, keen to get on with it. He is on a fresh set of soft compound tyres.
09:49 PM
The old "keep the helmet on" trick from Hamilton
How to tell a driver doesn’t want to talk #F1 #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/yViezS6bTp
— Chris Medland (@ChrisMedlandF1) May 6, 2023
09:48 PM
That's a good effort from Bottas, too
Has lagged a bit in qualifying this year, relatively, with Zhou much closer. Has found some pace and will start in the top 10 tomorrow.
09:47 PM
When do we just accept Mercedes as the third our fourth fastest team?
Lewis is eliminated in Q2. Gutted.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 6, 2023
Their progress in 2022 was... tangible but never all that significant. Not a great deal going on this year, either. It happens to all great teams at some point. Feels a bit like a Williams 1998/1999 regulations change moment...
09:44 PM
Q2 classification
VER 1:26.814
LEC +0.150
ALO +0.283
SAI +0.334
PER +0.514
OCO +0.630
BOT +0.750
GAS +0.798
MAG +0.859
RUS+0.929
ELIMINATED:ALB +0.981
HUL +1.089
HAM +1.161
ZHO +1.277
DEV +1.581
09:43 PM
Q2 ends - Verstappen fastest... Hamilton out
"Left that way too late guys," he says. He's been fairly keen to point the finger so far this year, it seems. It was not a great lap and he pays the price.
09:41 PM
Q2 - It's a poor first sector from Hamilton
Verstappen knocks Leclerc off top spot, by 0.150s. Alonso into third, 0.283s off Verstappen. Hulkenberg knocked down into 11th... is that his race run?
Russell goes ninth but will that be enough?
Hamilton goes 13th and that will definitely not be enough! He is out!
09:40 PM
Q2 - Leclerc with the fastest middle sector time
Good lap so far... and he goes fastest by 0.146s...
Verstappen with the fastest first sector and it is rapid, a 29.073.
09:39 PM
Q2 - Two minutes remain
Zhou, Magnussen, Russell, Hamilton and De Vries the man in the drop zone and by a couple of tenths at least, all of them.
09:38 PM
Q2 - Mercedes looking in trouble here
Albon with a fine lap, he has done many this year. Bottas the only man not to set a lap time and both Alfa Romeos are on hot laps.
Bottas moves sixth and Zhou 11th, though the latter gave the former a tow.
Mercedes need to find a few tenths...
Big runs coming up here at the end of Q2. Currently P13 and P14.
Make these ones count, Team. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/XMmvspY4wg— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 6, 2023
09:36 PM
Q2 - Order and gaps after the first runs
VER 1:27.110
SAI +0.038
PER +0.218
ALO +0.388
LEC +0.404
OCO +0.564
ALB +0.685
GAS +0.703
HUL +0.793
MAG +1.043
DROP ZONE:RUS +1.077
HAM +1.230
ZHO +1.597
DEV +2.244
BOT (NO TIME)
09:34 PM
Q2 - Leclerc into fourth...
But Sainz is on a flyer! The fastest sector two time as well... the Spaniard crosses the line second, just 0.038s behind Verstappen. Handy lap, that and well ahead of Leclerc.
09:33 PM
Q2 - Ocon into fourth
Gasly, his team-mate, goes fifth about 0.140s behind his compatriot.
Sainz with the fastest sector one time...
09:32 PM
Q2 - Ferraris yet to set a time
Ocon and Gasly in the Alpines are currently circulating. Boy do that team need a good weekend and with both McLarens out in Q1 this would be a good time to do it.
09:31 PM
Q2 - Alonso sneaks into third, four tenths off
Hulkenberg continues his fine form into fourth, a couple of tenths ahead of team-mate Magnussen who is fifth. Ahead of both Mercedes cars too...
This could be a painful weekend for Mercedes.
09:30 PM
Q2 - Verstappen crosses the line with 1:27.110
Perez is a couple of tenths further back, Russell a whole second away...
Verstappen is immediately on it! 🔥
P1 with a 1m 27.110s #MiamiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/aoVtbpPrSP— Formula 1 (@F1) May 6, 2023
What does Hamilton do? A tenth and a half behind Russell and in fifth. Both on used softs, though, so not entirely representative.
09:29 PM
Q2 - Verstappen with a 29.130 in sector one
That's a tenth almost up on Perez and a couple up on Hamilton.
The question now is whether either or both Mercedes will get out of this session. I think one will. Hamilton.
09:27 PM
Q2 - 14 mins remain
Perez and Verstappen the first two drivers out there. Both Haas cars get into Q2 which is good. That did not happen in Bahrain nor in Azerbaijan.
09:26 PM
Q2 begins!
15 minutes, 10 drivers to go through, and five go out. All of the incidents that were noted will receive no further investigation apart from Magnussen/Hamilton, which we await news on.
🟢 Q2 GREEN LIGHT 🟢
Max can't wait to get out there! #MiamiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/ZdeqkYflhV— Formula 1 (@F1) May 6, 2023
09:23 PM
Lance Stroll out...
And both McLarens, too. rotten. Nyck de Vries makes it through but Tsunoda does not. That means Stroll's record against Alonso in qualifying is now 0-6. Ouch.
09:21 PM
Q1 ends - Classification
VER 1:27.363
SAI +0.323
PER +0.350
LEC +0.350
MAG +0.446
HAM +0.483
BOT +0.501
OCO +0.509
HUL +0.582
GAS +0.698
RUS +0.723
ALO +0.816
ZHO +0.817
ALB +0.871
DEV +0.962
ELIMINATED:NOR +1.031
TSU +1.066
STR +1.113
PIA +1.121
SAR +1.214
09:20 PM
Q1 - Russell and Hamilton should get into the top 10 here
Top 15 go through to the next session.
Russell goes 10th, Hamilton moves sixth - better. That puts Norris into 16th... and out!
09:19 PM
Q1 - Sainz into fourth
This is going to be a frantic end to the session. Norris in 20th is on an improving lap. It's not mega, but neither is Russell's. Hamilton is a tenth or so up on his team-mate.
Norris into 11th at the end of his lap. Is that good enough? I don't think so.
09:18 PM
Q1 - Two minutes remain
A couple of big laps coming up for Mercedes. I think they'll be okay but only in getting out of the session.
Here's the current top 10:
VER
PER
MAG
HUL
LEC
BOT
SAI
ALB
DEV
ALO
09:16 PM
Q1 - Final runs under way
Fair to say that the track conditions are improving.
Hamilton, Russell, Sargeant, Piastri and Norris make up the bottom five and are at risk of elimination.
Hulkenberg with a fine lap, fourth and 0.594s off Verstappen. Tidy.
09:14 PM
Q1 - Hamilton into 10th
It's ahead of Russell but that's not a quick lap.
Leclerc has told his race engineer the traffic is "f------ stressful".
09:13 PM
Q1 - Verstappen and Perez now first and second
Verstappen 0.350s faster than Perez with the gap to Leclerc from Verstappen just over half a second.
The Magnussen/Hamilton incident will be investigated after the session.
Problems for Hamilton 😮
He's clipped the wall he tells his Mercedes team after taking avoiding action behind Magnussen #MiamiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/yYe21sx7n1— Formula 1 (@F1) May 6, 2023
Hamilton is looking like getting into the top 15 on his current fast lap but that's about it... maybe sneaking into the top 10.
09:12 PM
Q1 - Russell goes fastest in the first sector
Drops back to 0.154s slower than Perez after two sectors. Not too bad.
Russell goes eighth, as Leclerc moves fastest of all with a 1:27.895...
09:11 PM
Q1 - 8 mins remain
Here's how it stands:
PER
LEC
VER
ALO
MAG
SAI
GAS
ZHO
BOT
OCO
HUL
STR
SAR
ALB
PIA
DROP ZONETSU
NOR
RUS
DEV
HAM
09:10 PM
Q1 - Alonso straight into fourth
0.3sec off Perez. Magnussen improves to go fifth. Haas looking in decent form here.
A replay shows Hamilton approaching a very, very slow moving - almost stationary - Kevin Magnussen at the hairpin... Hamilton entered the braking zone and then swerved to the right to avoid hitting him and clipped the wall.
It didn't seem like Hamilton was on a hot lap though. Strange one.
09:09 PM
Q1 - Drivers in the drop zone
16. DEV
17. HAM
18. SAR
19. ALO
20. STR
Alonso and Stroll have not yet set a time. Hamilton has returned to the pits, apparently after clipping the wall with his front wing. We are yet to see that.
09:08 PM
Q1 - Where does Leclerc finish his lap?
Decent effort, into second, faster than Verstappen by 0.002s.
Sainz into fourth, three-tenths slower than his team-mate.
09:07 PM
Q1 - Ocon into fourth
The Alpine is looking fairly handy this weekend.
Leclerc with a good first sector time, faster than Perez. He's 0.111s down after two sectors, which is pretty decent.
09:06 PM
Q1 - Russell into fourth
Slower than Magnussen and both McLarens...
Verstappen goes fastest of all, only to be beaten by team-mate Perez, with Gasly a further three tenths behind in the Alpine.
09:05 PM
Q1 - Zhou with a 1:30.162
He is then beaten by Tsunoda and then Bottas before Magnussen posts a 1:29.358.
Hulkenberg clips the wall and goes fifth, 0.8s down on his team-mate.
09:04 PM
Q1 - Sargeant backs out of his first hot lap
Not sure entirely what happened, but he backed out after one corner. Norris with a decent first sector time, admittedly without any of the big guns on a hot lap yet.
09:03 PM
Q1 - 16 mins remain
Every driver currently on track but for the Aston Martins and Ferraris.
09:02 PM
GREEN LIGHT: Q1 begins
A sunny day with a few clouds out there.
🟢 Q1 GREEN LIGHT 🟢
Qualifying is GO, GO, GO! #MiamiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/3INAHVx9NB— Formula 1 (@F1) May 6, 2023
08:58 PM
Lando Norris with his beach ball helmet...
Take your seat, Lando. #MiamiGP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/IqWREXqgUS
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 6, 2023
08:52 PM
Less than 10 minutes to go
Predictions? Or should I ask "how much will Max Verstappen take pole by?". To three decimal places.
I reckon by 0.378 from Sergio Perez. I don't think we'll get any rain. A few light spots will not make a difference.
08:45 PM
And a reminder of how each car has fared in qualifying on average
It was good to see the Ferrari in Leclerc's hands be the fastest car over one lap in Azerbaijan. I wouldn't hold out too much hope of that today, but still, Leclerc on the front row?
08:41 PM
A reminder of how each driver stacks up against his team-mate in qualifying so far this year
08:38 PM
A bit of rain?
LATEST FORECAST — The Dolphin Stadium Heliport's latest Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) warns of "in the vicinity showers" from 16:00 local time. #F1 | #MiamiGP 🇺🇸
— MeteoMotorsport (@MeteoMotorsport) May 6, 2023
4pm local time is when the session is due to start.
08:36 PM
Guenther Steiner: I grew up a butcher's son – it taught me how to fillet a driver
Haas F1 team principal on his new book, his complicated relationship with Mick Schumacher and the sport's continued growth in the States in an exclusive interview with Tom Cary here.
08:29 PM
Current constructor standings
08:27 PM
It was a difficult Friday for Charles Leclerc
He crashed out of second practice, but bounced back with second fastest time just now. His podium in Azerbaijan – with a second place in that weekend's sprint – were his first significant points of the season. For now he should just be focused on being the best of the rest behind Red Bull.
08:23 PM
Current driver standings: Top 10
08:15 PM
Times after final practice
Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1min 27.535secs
Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:27.941
Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 1:28.050
Carlos Sainz Jr. (Spa) Ferrari 1:28.125
Esteban Ocon (Fra) Alpine 1:28.407
Pierre Gasly (Fra) Alpine 1:28.428
Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:28.456
Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Haas F1 Team 1:28.497
Alexander Albon (Tha) Williams 1:28.561
George Russell (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:28.606
Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 Team 1:28.607
Fernando Alonso (Spa) Aston Martin 1:28.618
Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:28.718
Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:28.723
Guanyu Zhou (Chn) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:29.074
Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:29.179
Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams 1:29.264
Oscar Piastri (Aus) McLaren 1:29.375
Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:29.401
20 Nyck de Vries (Ned) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:29.447
07:23 PM
Good evening
Welcome to our live coverage for the 2023 Miami Grand Prix from the Miami International Autodrome. F1's expansion into North America continues at pace, with three rounds in the United States and one each in Canada and Mexico. As great as it is, I am sure, to have a race in Miami, is this really the type of event that makes F1 richer?
Well, richer in cash terms perhaps, but richer as a sport? I am not sure. That is not to say that F1 should not be trying to get to big metropolitan areas and cities so much. They are probably better than some of the places F1 has raced in the past and perhaps continues to race in. But most of the people who watch F1 do not attend a race. And too often the quest to have these tracks in cities comes at the expense of the quality of the race.
There were plenty of complaints about the track surface and layout here last year. Because of the way the track is structured around the city and the Hard Rock stadium, major changes are unlikely. Still, a couple of changes have been made to the track surface as well as one of the kerbs in the tricky chicane that caused a few problems. Whether that will make any difference is unknown, but we will wait and see.
As for the racing? Well, you can guess how it has gone so far this weekend. Final practice this afternoon finished with Max Verstappen on top, but the order was a little harder to decipher below him. Charles Leclerc finished 0.4sec behind in the Ferrari and then Sergio Perez, Carlos Sainz, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly completed the top six, all within nine-tenths of Verstappen's time.
It was another difficult session for Mercedes. They had topped first practice yesterday but have dropped back significantly since then. George Russell could only manage 10th, a second off Verstappen whilst Hamilton was down in 13th, nearly 1.1sec off the fastest time.
Leclerc's time is a little intriguing but F1 desperately needs a battle for first, not first behind Max Verstappen...
Anyway, qualifying begins at 9pm BST and we will be here for all the build-up, latest updates and reaction from qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix.
