F1 Miami Grand Prix LIVE: Sprint race updates and qualifying times

The sprint format continues in Formula 1 this weekend as the Miami Grand Prix hosts the second sprint weekend of the 2024 season.

The sprint was first introduced in 2021 at Silverstone as a way of making more sessions over the course of the weekend competitive, with the target of driving interest in F1. In 2021 and 2022, there were three sprints a year.

2023 saw a new format. The number of sprint races were doubled to six, while Saturday was designed ‘sprint day’ – with a new “sprint shootout” qualifying session determining the grid for the sprint race. In addition, the result of the sprint race had no baring on the grand prix on Sunday.

However, the format has been tweaked again in 2024 and we will see it in action for the second time this weekend at the Miami International Autodrome.

• Sprint race: 5pm
• Qualifying: 9pm

Formula 1 returns to the United States this weekend as the street circuit around the Hard Rock Stadium hosts the Miami Grand Prix for the third time – and the second of six sprint weekends in 2024.

Max Verstappen was in dominant form last time out in China, winning both the sprint race and grand prix in Shanghai, and leads the world championship despite the current unrest at Red Bull which has led to Adrian Newey’s shock departure from the team this week, with Ferrari favourites to sign the star designer.

Sergio Perez is 25 points behind his team-mate in the standings, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz next-best on the list. Lando Norris finished second in Shanghai as he continues to target a first win in F1, while Lewis Hamilton will be striving for more following his worst ever start to a season.

Miami was selected as one of six venues to host a sprint weekend by F1 this year. Verstappen has won the first two editions of the race, which first appeared on the calendar in 2022, and put his Red Bull on pole for the sprint race on Saturday.

Lewis Hamilton’s troubled season continued in Miami after he qualified only 12th for Saturday’s sprint race at the Hard Rock Stadium.

As Max Verstappen put his Red Bull on pole position, Hamilton, who has so far failed to finish in the top six this season, grazed the wall as he was eliminated in Q2.

Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell also failed to make it into the final phase, taking 11th place, on another disappointing afternoon for Mercedes in the Sunshine State.

This was golden just before that qualifying session…

“To be honest with you it felt pretty terrible. Maybe that last session was very difficult to get the tyres to work. I didn’t really improve on the soft but somehow we’re first. We take it. Practice I was really confident, qualifying not so much.

“In qualifying, it didn’t look like that for me. I don’t know what happened to the other cars in that last lap.”

Max Verstappen takes it… just!

A tenth ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in second, with Sergio Perez in third! Verstappen made an error in sector two too!

And what a lap from Daniel Ricciardo – in P4!

4-10: Ricciardo, Sainz, Piastri, Stroll, Alonso, Norris, Hulkenberg

Verstappen: “LOL! What happened to the others, that was terrible. I mean, I’ll take it!”

No cars out on track until four minutes left!

They clearly feel they can only do one lap on these soft tyres!

One-lap shootout – here we go then!

Here come the soft tyres!

Eight minutes only – who will be on pole for the sprint race tomorrow?

10 drivers involved: Norris, Perez, Leclerc, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Piastri, Alonso, Sainz, Stroll, Hulkenberg