Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli grew to become the 14th Italian to set the quickest time in a grid-deciding F1 session, beating the McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. F1Technical’s senior author Balazs Szabo delivers groups’ and drivers’ response after the dash qualifying in Florida.
Kimi Antonelli, 1st, 1:26.482
“I didn’t count on that! It feels improbable to take my first pole place. After I crossed the road, I assumed it was a very good lap. I used to be proud of the way it got here collectively. There have been just a few areas that I felt I might have discovered just a little bit extra time, however I used to be happy that I managed to hook up all three sectors. I’ll get pleasure from this second however shortly give attention to tomorrow as it might be good to repeat at present by taking victory within the Dash itself.
“We all know the McLarens, the Ferraris, and the Crimson Bull of Verstappen have robust race tempo. It received’t be straightforward to maintain them behind tomorrow, however I might be giving it my all to take action. It will likely be vital to have a very good begin and hopefully from there, set a very good tempo with out struggling an excessive amount of from tyre degradation. After the Dash, we must try to do the job we have now carried out at present to safe a very good grid place for the Grand Prix on Sunday.”
George Russell, fifth, 1:26.791
“Firstly, large congratulations to Kimi! I’m actually happy to see him take his first pole place. He’s been actually fast proper from the primary lap in FP1 and that’s actually spectacular. It’s nice for him and the entire workforce; hopefully he can convert that into a robust end in tomorrow’s Dash.
“I’ve not felt at my most comfy with the automotive at present. I’ve been struggling just a little and have simply been a spark off the tempo. I selected to go on the early aspect in SQ3 as a result of I finally didn’t fairly have the arrogance to go within the pack on the finish. I didn’t need to get caught by a yellow flag both, so we opted to play it safer.
“P5 is clearly not nice, and we have to enhance on that in tomorrow’s Qualifying. These Dash weekends might be difficult, however we’ll do what we are able to to get pleasure from a greater day than we have now at present.”
Oscar Piastri, 2nd, 1:26.527
“I am moderately proud of that consequence. It definitely wasn’t one of the best lap ever. I had a lock-up going into the final nook which I feel was most likely the place P1 acquired away, however congratulations to Kimi [Antonelli] on his first Pole in F1. P2 remains to be a very good consequence, and I feel we’ve acquired a bit extra tempo to unlock. I am feeling constructive and hopeful of constructing up a spot tomorrow.”
Lando Norris, third, 1:26.582
“A good end in a detailed Dash Qualifying. We had been simply pipped by the Mercedes, so congrats to Kimi [Antonelli] on his first Pole. I feel there was most likely just a little bit extra in it however in any other case I’m proud of P3 and searching ahead to going racing tomorrow.”
Max Verstappen, 4th, 1:26.737
“I feel what we did in Q3 at present was good and the tyres had been holding on fairly effectively, however sadly from FP1 I used to be struggling just a little bit with understeer within the automotive. Round right here with these low-speed corners you simply lose fairly a little bit of lap time.
“Within the first sector, we had been fairly aggressive, as that’s the place there are just a few high-speed corners, however as quickly as we acquired to the low-speed we had been missing a little bit of grip. P4 is alright, it isn’t the place I need to be, however we should be life like with the restrictions that we have now in the meanwhile. I do suppose we’re nonetheless fairly aggressive.
“It’s tough to say the place we might be within the Dash weekend as we don’t have loads of knowledge within the lengthy runs. Going off my very own feeling and the steadiness of the automotive, it is going to be powerful with the warmth however we’ll strive our greatest.”
Yuki Tsunoda, 18th, 1:29.246
“Right this moment was a disappointing day for me. A variety of automobiles price my lap on my first run after which on the final nook I had an enormous lock up and didn’t get the lap banked. To be trustworthy that lap was fairly gone from flip one already, due to the site visitors and I wasn’t capable of do a correct lap in any respect. I knew I used to be going to be tight for my second run, however I couldn’t do a lot about it, there’s a automotive in entrance of me and I can solely go so quick on my out lap.
“We had been held up within the storage and this stuff can generally occur, however we all know we have to work on communication too. I’m fairly far again for the Dash however I, clearly, will strive my greatest and something can occur on this observe. I’ll preserve constructive and check out my greatest.”
Charles Leclerc, sixth, 1:26.808
“We’re not proud of our place. There wasn’t a lot room for enchancment at present, and it appears to be like like that is our baseline for now. I’ll attempt to have a very good begin in tomorrow’s Dash and take it from there. It isn’t a straightforward weekend to date, so we have now plenty of work to do.”
Lewis Hamilton, seventh, 1:27.030
“We’re not fairly the place we need to be simply but, however there have been undoubtedly some encouraging indicators, particularly in SQ1 the place the automotive felt extra linked. There’s nonetheless work to do, however we’re targeted on maximising the bundle we have now and persevering with to construct from right here.”
Alex Albon, eighth, 1:27.193
“Friday carried out with and it was usually a really constructive day. The automotive’s been in a very good place from the second we did the primary lap in FP1. I’m comfortable but it surely appears to be like like among the different groups discovered a bit extra efficiency on their aspect over the course of the day.
“We had been just about optimised from the outset, however we fell again just a little bit in SQ3. It’s not a nasty place to be although. Better of the midfield and we’re in a very good place to attain factors, however there’s nonetheless just a little little bit of homework to be carried out earlier than fundamental Qualifying tomorrow.”
Carlos Sainz, fifteenth, No time set in SQ2
“In hindsight, it was not the suitable name to threat entering into SQ3 with just one lap. I made a mistake locking up into Flip 11 and that was it, there was no time left on the clock. As much as that time, the lap was good however I’m clearly not comfortable as a result of we had been quick at present. It’s going to be a troublesome Dash tomorrow.
“I’ll strive my greatest to get well and go at it once more within the afternoon in Qualifying. We appear to have good tempo this weekend, so I look ahead to getting again on observe.”
Isack Hadjar, ninth, 1:27.543
“It was a irritating Dash Qualifying at present. We didn’t have a very good first run in SQ1 as I made a mistake within the final nook, and that put stress on us to finalize the final push lap. After that, I used to be proud of the lap I made in SQ2, which allowed us to go to SQ3.
“We had been actually tight on time, and it wasn’t a great place to begin the lap as I used to be solely a few seconds behind Charles, however I knew we needed to take advantage of out of it. Tomorrow, the beginning of the race might be essential, so we’ll attempt to have a very good shot at it, to then try to combat for factors.”
Liam Lawson, 14th, 1:28.375
“It was fairly a messy session, very completely different to FP1. It is a disgrace as a result of the automotive wasn’t in a nasty place this morning, however we fought with the steadiness much more in Dash Qualifying. We clearly have some issues to analyse as a workforce, so we hope that may put ourselves in a very good place forward of the dash race tomorrow.”
Fernando Alonso, tenth, 1:27.790
“It is a bit of a shock to qualify the place we did as a result of the automotive remains to be fighting steadiness and it isn’t all the time constant – however all in all, a very good day.
“That is the primary time we have now made it into SQ3 this season so hopefully we are able to sustain that momentum. Solely the highest eight automobiles will rating factors tomorrow, however we’ll strive our greatest.”
Lance Stroll, sixteenth, 1:29.028
“Dash Qualifying did not play out effectively for me at present: I had loads of site visitors on my ultimate push lap and was a bit unfortunate with the place I got here throughout [Max] Verstappen on the ultimate straight.
“All of that price me just a few tenths and I simply missed the prospect to get by means of to SQ2. Let’s have a look at what tomorrow brings for the Dash race, hopefully some alternatives come our method and there’s a likelihood to make up some positions.”
Nico Hulkenberg, eleventh, 1:27.850
“I’m comfortable we maximised our potential in Dash Qualifying at present. Given the difficult FP1 we had this morning, P11 feels much more rewarding. I suffered from a flat spot in my first stint on the medium tyres, leaving me solely the tender tyres for an additional 4 laps – clearly, that wasn’t one of the best preparation for qualifying.
“It’s undoubtedly a constructive begin for the workforce as we enter the Miami race weekend: now our goal might be to retain the competitiveness we have now proven at present into tomorrow’s Dash race.”
Gabriel Bortoleto, nineteenth, 1:29.312
“I used to be actually proud of my ultimate SQ1 lap, as I used to be gaining fairly a bit on my earlier try and I feel it might have been sufficient for a spot in SQ2. However I had a lock up at flip 17 and successfully misplaced the lap. It’s a disgrace, and it’ll make the Dash very tough: overtaking right here could be a problem, particularly in tomorrow’s shorter format.
“We are going to give it our greatest to enhance our place and be taught as a lot as we are able to about race situations. Most significantly, we noticed at present that our efficiency is kind of stable and might enable us to be within the midfield: we are able to look ahead to Qualifying, later tomorrow, the place we are able to hopefully have a stronger displaying.”
Esteban Ocon, twelfth, 1:28.167
“I feel there was just a little bit extra within the automotive, particularly as within the final nook I went in a bit deep, so I must see how a lot we misplaced however I don’t suppose it was sufficient to undergo. General, I feel it was fairly constructive as a result of we glance fairly robust, however clearly it’s not fairly sufficient for the place we need to be for a Dash, because it’s the highest eight scoring factors, however we’re giving it our greatest tomorrow.
“It was a very good preparation forward of qualifying tomorrow as effectively. I feel the automotive feels higher than in Jeddah which is an efficient factor, from the simulator work we did and in addition among the operating we’ve carried out right here, it was fairly clear to us, however we nonetheless have extra to work on.”
Oliver Bearman, twentieth, 1:29.825
“It was powerful however I solely managed to get one lap in as I missed the flag sadly, so we have to analyse it.”
Pierre Gasly, thirteenth, 1:28.167
“It has been good to be again on observe right here in Miami the place there’s such enthusiasm for Method One. Right this moment was vital as we had only one Free Observe session to organize for Dash Qualifying and the weekend forward. This morning’s FP1 was very difficult, however we made some good progress and enhancements forward of Dash Qualifying this afternoon.
“We lacked some grip initially of the final run in SQ2 because the tyres nonetheless felt a bit chilly and that meant that I misplaced two tenths there nonetheless there was extra grip later within the lap. We are going to evaluate at present’s work and analyse the learnings. The main target is now to work with the engineers to organize for tomorrow’s Dash Race.”
Jack Doohan, seventeenth, 1:29.171
“In fact, from the consequence, it was not the tip to Dash Qualifying we had been hoping for. The sensation within the automotive was good and we felt good heading into the session. On the ultimate run, we misplaced locations within the queue within the pitlane with the automotive having to be pushed again by the mechanics, which meant we had been out of place and chasing to make it to the road in time.
“It’s irritating not to have the ability to put in a second quick lap, significantly with the advance in lap time we noticed and potential within the automotive. It is one thing we’ll evaluate and debrief as a workforce on.
“We are going to look to maximise what is feasible in tomorrow’s Dash Race to maneuver by means of the order and be taught as a lot as we are able to forward of the remainder of the weekend. We even have tomorrow’s Qualifying the place we’ll goal to set ourselves up effectively for the race on Sunday.”
