The second and final F1 Academy practice session is done and dusted. The drivers dialed things in, and now we’re ready to go full send for qualifying and the races.
Similar to the first practice session, all drivers went out on track right away – except for Prema Racing.
Ava Dobson and Lia Block made contact at Turn 1, bringing out a yellow flag. Neither driver appeared to sustain any damage. Dobson recovered immediately and continued her run, while Block took a bit more time but also carried on, heading to the pits for a check-up.
With 30 minutes on the clock, the track became busy as all drivers began setting competitive lap times. Maya Weug was the first to break into the 1:59 minutes window, followed by Chloe Chambers, who set the benchmark with a 1:59.647.
Doriane Pin and Alisha Palmowski were once again close behind the top two, with just 0.3 seconds separating the top four.
At the halfway mark and into the second stint, everyone began their qualifying simulations. With personal best sectors coming left and right, Chambers put together all purple sectors to set a 1:58.824 – half a second quicker than Pin in P2. Aurelia Nobels and Ella Lloyd followed shortly after, joining Chambers in the top three. Nobels has yet to score any points – maybe this is the weekend she breaks into the top 10.
Slip stream was a hot topic at the end of the session and could add some excitement and strategy to tomorrow’s qualifying. Every driver will be looking for an advantage – while also trying not to give one to anyone else.
Weug continued on a high note, setting purple sectors and finishing the session in P1. The championship leader looks ready to extend her lead and widen the gap even further by the end of the weekend.
What can we expect tomorrow? With the way things are unfolding in F1 Academy, it’s hard to say. Will we see another new face take pole position and the race win? One thing is certain: the grid is incredibly close, and we’re set for some thrilling action around the Miami International Autodrome.