Miami, Florida.- the Dutch max verstappen (Red Bull)championship leader, was the fastest, ahead of the Spaniard carlos sainz (Ferrari), during the day of free practice for the Miami Grand Prix (UNITED STATES), the fifth in the World Cup Formula One; in which the Mexican Sergio Perez (Red Bull) -winner last Sunday in Azerbaijan– scored the fourth half; and the other Spaniard, the double world champion Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), the fifth.

In his fastest lap of the second free practice – during which the best times of the day were signed -, Verstappenwho aspires to win a third consecutive title, covered the 5,412 meters of the circuit built around the Hard Rock Stadium warm miami In one minute, 27 seconds and 930 thousandths, 385 less than sainz and with an advantage of 324 thousandths over his partner, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc; which, during the collision with the protections in the seventh of the 19 curves of the circuit, caused the interruption for a few minutes -with ten to go-, with a red flag, of the second session.

The best times were achieved during the afternoon test, with the soft tire and before everyone started to simulate the race – with 20 minutes to go – on the abrasive track and redone from Florida; where tire management will be decisive. In which ‘Czech‘ – winner last Sunday in Baku– scored the fourth time in the tests, at 489 thousandths of ‘madmax‘ And Also the fifth, seven tenths behind the new sports idol of the The Netherlands.

After Azerbaijan, where the new sprint format was launched – with two separate qualifications, for each of the two races and a single free practice -, a pattern that will be repeated five more times this year; In miami there F1 came back to lifenormal‘; and the day of this Friday was used to do all kinds of tests. On a track that debuted last year; with new asphalt and subjected to very high temperatures: the first session ended with 30 degrees Celsius ambient and 49 on the asphalt; the second, at 28 and 38, respectively.

Verstappenwho commands the World Cup with 93 points, only six more than ‘Czech‘, at the top of the chronological rankings in front of the two Ferrariwith which the Red Bull They made a ‘sandwich‘, when marking the driver of Guadalajara (Jalisco) the fourth stopwatch. On the track built around the stadium where the locals play Miami Dolphins, team of the nflthe spectacular professional league of American football.

Also, in his second youth at 41 and who is third in the competition, 33 points behind the leader, finished just behind the drivers of the dominant and most successful team in history. a day when Red Bull announced, by the mouth of thebrain‘ team, the Austrian Marko Helmutwho extended the contract – without specifying its duration – of its star engineer, the Englishman Adrian Newleythe aerodynamics guru: creator of the sensational single-seater with which the German Sebastian Vettel He won his four titles (with four “doublets” for the team, between 2010 and 2013); and one of the main responsible for the new triumphant era that the red bulls live.

sainz -fifth in the World Championship, with 34 units-, who admitted that he is still not where he would like after the first four races of the course and that he has just finished fifth in Bakuwhere your partner leclerc took the first podium of the year for Ferrari -which, for the moment, does not exceed fourth place in the Constructors’ World Championship- suggests a better weekend in miami. Where the talented Madrid driver will aim, at least, for his sixteenth ‘drawer‘ in the F1.

Alsowho, after once again astonishing the world by finishing third in the first three races of the year – his first three with Aston Martin: In Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia– finished fourth last Sunday in Azerbaijan “a bad weekend where” fought “for the catwalk” and he was only a second behind, he scored the fifth time of the first day of training. Although this time it seems he will find more opposition from the Ferrarifor the greatest joy of sainz.

The Asturian star, seventh in the morning, completed the fifth time trial of the evening test. Just behind ‘Czech‘, who has just won brilliantly in Azerbaijan -where he signed his sixth victory since racing in the F1the second of the season and the second in Baku– and that he confirmed last Sunday that with what is by far the best car on the grid at the moment, he can dream of becoming world champion.

The Mexican, who will be the leader of the world if he wins Florida, scored the fourth time of the day; a little less than half a second from his colleague on the The Netherlands; and with an advantage of two tenths over Alonso.

Surprisingly they were mercedes those who dominated the first formation, with English george russellwho had problems at the start of the session, leading the time – with a time of 1:30.125 -, two tenths ahead of his compatriot and teammate Lewis Hamiltonwho on Thursday had openly criticized in miami the policies of Florida Governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, which clearly curtail the rights of the LGBTQI community.

Mr Lewis -who received this title from the deceased Queen Isabella II after winning, 2020his seventh world title – compared the situation of Florida with that of Saudi Arabia and for that reason run this Grand prize with the rainbow flag on his helmet.

leclerc And Verstappen they had fallen to 32 and 42 hundredths in third and fourth place, respectively, in the first event. In which sainz he had set the fifth time, at six tenths; Also the seventh, a second and a tenth; And ‘Czech‘ -one second and four tenths of the time of Russell– in eleventh place on the timetable; before advancing seven squares in the afternoon.

The morning session was interrupted for about eight minutes, with a red flag, to remove the Haas from german Nico Hulkenberg, accident – without major physical consequences – in the third of the 19 curves of the rebuilt track of miami; when, in the second half of practice, after testing the hard and medium compounds, almost everyone had started to do a qualifying simulation.

Danish Kevin Magnussenpartner of hülkenberg, was about to suffer the same fate as the German at the start of the second event, during which he spun and brushed against a wall. But in the end, the second red flag of the day ended up causing it, also without suffering any damage, leclercthe companion of sainz; who damaged the front of his car after crashing in Turn 7.

Alsowho had already won the prize for the best overtaking of the month of March – the one given to him in bahrain For hamilton– received in miami one of the best of the month of April: the one who made the sainz In Bakulast Sunday.

The brilliant Asturian pilot was behind the Red Bull and the Ferrari in the calendar – to seven tenths of ‘Mad Max’-, in which the eccentric and spectacular champion of Stevenage he was seventh – at nine -: just behind his compatriot Lando Norris, author of the sixth time of the day with his McLaren.

the canadian Spear Strollthe new companion Alsofinished eighth, exactly one second behind the leader of the world; while Russellthe fastest of the first act, did not go beyond the fifteenth on the still dirty track of miami. Whose free practice will end this Saturday, a few hours before qualifying, which will order the starting grid for the Sunday race: scheduled for 57 laps to complete a course of 308.3 kilometers.