Russell top of the day, follows Leclerc. Verstappen in smoke and Sainz in the wall.

We've seen a little bit of everything Miami on this first day of free practice. Among the surprises compared to FP1 there is certainly one to have at the end of this day one Mercedes in command of the group, and a Ferrari and Red Bull in pursuit with Leclerc e Perez. Major absentees Max Verstappen, overwhelmed by the problems of his RB18, and Carlos Sainz, finished on the wall in mid-session.

Is the Mercedes back?

The updates arrived Mercedes takes the opportunity to place it there in front, once again with Russell ahead Hamilton ahead Alonso e Norris. Sure, we're still on Friday but the signs would seem encouraging. George Russell he is the first driver and the only one to have gone under the time of 1:30.000, with 1:29.938 remained the best time until the end, even after two attempts by Leclerc with the softs, the first of which was done with the same set of red tires as his first attempt, aborted immediately after losing time on Russell in the second sector. The pouring would appear to be less accentuated than Imola, but the car is still visibly unstable.

Disastrous start for Sainz

He had come close in the first session. A first alarm signal which then materialized in the second. A misjudgment leads Sainz to a fatal contact with the barriers, the result of a perhaps too aggressive approach by the Spanish driver who has been in difficulty for a few races, especially in confrontation with his teammate. So the weekend starts uphill for Sainz, which turns on a nice alarm bell in the house Ferrari, who would need the concentration and points of both drivers to aim for the constructors' championship.

Max on fire

And this time not for track performance. Once the heat has returned, the reliability problems have returned Red Bull. Max he had started the second session late due to a substitution of the cultural, between the first and second session. At the end of the red flag caused by Sainz, Verstappen He saw his RB18 catch fire due to a hydraulic problem and the consequent overheating of the brakes. Max Verstappen since the beginning of the season he has collected two retirements, both due to problems with his car and not due to driver errors. An entire session that went up in smoke, after a first with problems, and this on a completely unknown track, where it's essential to try to get data and understand your limits.

We are still far from thinking of scenarios, but one thing is certain: this track will present itself with two faces and will put everyone to the test, rewarding talent and highlighting every slightest mistake.

All times of FP2