Saturday and time for the Sprint Race in sunny Miami, with Max Verstappen starting yet again in front of everyone with his Red Bull.
Mediums are the preferred choice for most of the grid, only exceptions are Yuki Tsunoda and Logan Sargeant who opted for the softest compound.
Work for the stewards begins even before lights out, as Esteban Ocon is given a 10s penalty for a collision with Leclerc on the way to the starting grid.
Poleman Max Verstappen is on used mediums, while Ferrari picked fresh ones for Leclerc, same alternation on the second row, with Perez on used mediums and Ricciardo on fresh ones.
As lights go out Verstappen and Leclerc sprint ahead at the same time, while Perez loses places.
But everything is slowed down as yellow flags are out even before cars start approaching the first Turn of the Miami International Circuit.
A safety car is called out before the end of lap 1 to clear the track from debris and retrieve Lando Norris’ McLaren.
The Brit was just unlucky to find himself around in a collutation between Stroll, Alonso and Hamilton.
Stroll’s Aston is called back into the pits to retire as well, while Alonso rejoins the race in last position after stopping for a new front wing.
Three laps later racing gets underway again with a super close gap between Verstappen and Leclerc out in the front and Daniel Ricciardo taking P3 from Sergio Perez.
Meanwhile at the bottom of the top ten Lewis Hamilton comes rather close to Kevin Magnussen’s Haas, but struggles to overtake him.
Perez overtakes Ricciardo to take back the P3 and it’s Carlos Sainz putting the Australian under great pressure now, a very short margin between them, as cars are all very close to one another, almost everybody is less than 1s away from the driver in front.
No investigation seems to be opened for the situation that cost Norris the DNF, while it is announced that he will be investigated after the race for entering the track on foot while leaving his car.
Behind are Piastri in P6, followed by the two Haas, Hamilton and Tsunoda.
Hamilton makes a try around the outside, but yet again he can’t catch Magnussen, as his Mercedes seems to struggle quite a lot on the straights.
Leclerc is still close to Verstappen, while Magnussen is noted for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
The two – Magnussen and Hamilton – are still engaged in a tight battle and brush sides, just as the graphics show that the Dane is given a 10s penalty.
On track, however, Mercedes still seems to not have enough pace to catch Haas.
Piastri is slowly gaining time and coming closer to Sainz, as the Ferrari is trying to catch Ricciardo ahead.
While Hamilton and Magnussen briefly leave the track, Yuki Tsunoda comes up from behind and takes P9 ahead of the Brit.
Another position gained for Tsunoda as he comes up behind Nico Hulkenberg in P8, all the while his teammate Daniel Ricciardo is defending from Carlos Sainz to keep P4.
Black and white flag is waved for Magnussen for exceeding track limits and another 10s penalty quickly comes for him.
Another investigation is opened for Hamilton for speeding in the pit lane and yet another one is announced for Magnussen for gaining an advantage around Turn 11, still from the battle with Hamilton.
Seconds before Max Verstappen crosses the finish line to win the Sprint, Hamilton overtakes Tsunoda to take P8, while Sainz can’t catch Ricciardo despite trying until the very last kilometers.
As the top three – Verstappen, Leclerc and Perez – line up their cars for podium interviews, a third penalty is given to Magnussen, 5s for track limits, while Lewis Hamilton drops out of the points after getting a drive-through penalty.
