F1 Miami Grand Prix – LIVE!

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1 Miami Grand Prix – LIVE!

Charles Leclerc is out to reassert his authority in the Formula One 2022 world title race with victory in F1’s inaugural race around Miami today.

Saturday qualifying saw the championship leader stick his Ferrari on pole position with a lap, almost matched by fantastic teammate Carlos Sainz to clock a 1-2 for the Scuderia.

In third was Max Verstappen, victorious a fortnight ago in Emilia Romagna where Leclerc spun out late on but with an error of his own as he began his final qualifying lap yesterday.

F1 has served up four memorable races so far, with Red Bull’s unreliability hitting defending champ Verstappen with two retirements already.

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But his woes have been nothing compared to that of Lewis Hamilton, who starts a more reasonable sixth in Miami after a dismal weekend at Imola.

Today’s race gets underway at 8.30pm BST and is live on Sky Sports.

Join Marc Mayo and Matt Majendie for all the latest updates from Miami with Standard Sport’s live blog…

Race updatesLive updatesShow latest updates 1652040906

Here comes Verstappen!

It’s a set of Hards bolted on in just 2.4 seconds to keep him comfortably in front, he re-enters the circuit as Leclerc crosses the finish line.

1652040739Leclerc pits!

“The car is so difficult to drive,” the Monegasque says over team radio.

And thus he pits, with a 3.2-second stop not bad as he straps on the Hards and comes out well clear of fifth-placed Bottas.

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A fastest lap from Leclerc who is pushing those Mediums deep like all of the four frontrunners, the Red Bull and Ferrari pit walls perhaps a bit nervous that these Hard tires are taking a while to warm up.

Verstappen remains well out in front, 4.5 seconds to be exact.

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Lap 23/57: Norris and Magnussen are the latest to slide wide at Turn 17, from 14th and 16th respectively. It’s turned into a real nightmare afternoon for the McLaren.

Here comes Hamilton into the pits, running sixth. That’s a clean stop and he comes out in clean air, now seventh.

1652040459Problems for Perez!

“I’m losing power!” Perez tells Red Bull team radio. “Engine’s gone, man!”

No such concerns from his engineers, who tell him it’s just the tow to Sainz that he’s lost. More Red Bull reliability issues incoming?

“Fail five-zero, power unit’s looking good now,” comes the fix. “I think it’s back,” the Mexican replies. He lost about six seconds on Sainz in that.

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Norris pits from seventh and a slow 3.6-second stop earns a bit of a smirk from David Beckham, watching on from the edge of the garage.

Vettel and Magnussen are right on the Brit and those Hard tires take a while to warm up, allowing both past him! That’s 15th for Norris…

1652040106F1 correspondent Matt Majendie

There’s been so much fanfare about the inaugural Miami Grand Prix but the is that a third of the way through this race, it’s currently in danger of being something of a procession to the checkered flag.

Max Verstappen looking incredibly at ease in the race lead and pulling steadily clearer from Charles Leclerc – his lead is now 3.4 seconds.

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Alonso suffers a long 5.7-second pit stop in his fight with Gasly for seventh, and comes out with Stroll on his tail in a battle for the 13th!

Behind them, Vettel and Latifi are enjoying a big scrap and the German makes it stick down the inside to go 14th.

With those stops, Russell is moving nicely up the pack and looks good for a one-stop while sat eighth, in between the two McLarens who are yet to pit. Then it’s Ocon in 10th, another who started on the Hards.

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Lap 15/57: Don’t go anywhere just yet… Fading tires and plenty of overtakes around this place means a safety car or VSC are really not out of the question.

Plan D is the strategy call for Leclerc, he’s 2.8 seconds off Verstappen – and here’s how the Dutchman took the lead:

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Leclerc goes really wide at Turn 17 which costs him a whole second and Ferrari may pull him in off those struggling Medium tires sooner rather than later.

Red Bull tell Verstappen he’s doing an “excellent job” looking after his front-right.

Magnussen and Tsunoda are the first to pit from the midfield.

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