The action in Miami continues, and the F1 Academy grid is set for today’s Race 1 – with reversed top 8 – and tomorrow’s Race 2. Miami didn’t make it easy for the drivers today, as the weather shifted from sunny and hot to dull and rainy.
As the green light appeared at the end of the pit lane, all drivers headed out to set a competitive lap before the track became too slippery. Home favourite Chloe Chambers was the first to set a benchmark with a 2:00.458 – slower than yesterday, when some drivers dipped into the 1:58 window. Alisha Palmowski and Doriane Pin, as usual, joined Chambers in the top three. Championship leader Maya Weug, on the other hand, could only manage P10, visibly frustrated behind the wheel.
Rain began to fall early on, making the first flying lap incredibly important for everyone. As the track grew wetter by the minute, we saw several spins, and with 20 minutes remaining in the session, all drivers returned to the pits for a tyre change – hiding under umbrellas.
Some drivers, led by Lia Block, returned to the track on wet tyres to get a feel for the car in these conditions, as rain could also affect the race. Unsurprisingly, lap times were around 15 seconds slower, with spray falling around the circuit.
By the end of the session, the rain had stopped, and the track began to dry. However, the remaining wet patches didn’t give the drivers a chance to improve, and the grid remained unchanged from the start.
Wild Card entry Ava Dobson qualified P15, a good result for the newcomer – but she won’t start from that position in either race. Dobson received a three-place grid penalty for her collision with Lia Block in yesterday’s Free Practice 2, meaning she’ll start from the back of the grid.
Top 10:
- Chloe Chambers: 2:00.458
- Alisha Palmowski: +0.018
- Doriane Pin: +0.071
- Ella Loyd: +0.076
- Lia Block: +0.284
- Aurelia Nobels: +1.011
- Rafaela Ferreira: +1.215
- Emma Felbermayr: +1.303
- Tina Hausmann: +1.387
- Maya Weug: +1.776
If this session taught us anything, it’s that every lap counts as those first flying laps determined everything. Aurelia Nobels, finishing P6, has a great chance to score her first point of the season, while Pin and Chambers are well-positioned to close the gap to Weug in the Driver standings. The championship leader will have to work hard to recover and limit the damage.