Miami (AP) – World championship leader Charles Leclerc will be the first driver to start from pole position in a Formula 1 race in Miami.
The Ferrari driver from Monaco secured first place in qualifying ahead of his Spanish team-mate Carlos Sainz. In the end, world champion Max Verstappen was no longer able to counter the pace of the Scuderia drivers and had to settle for third place in the Red Bull.
After his coup, Leclerc bathed a little in the jubilation of the spectators. “The fans are wonderful. Now we have to finish work tomorrow,” said the 24-year-old. Verstappen was relaxed despite the defeat. “We have a good car and a good chance in the race. A lot can happen,” said the Dutchman.
Vettel and Schumacher defeated
The working day ended soberingly for Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher, who both failed in the second round. “Oh, no, I lost it in the chicane,” Vettel complained on the pit radio after a driving error in the last attempt cost him a place in the top ten. The Aston Martin driver had to settle for 13th place.
Schumacher did not get past 15th place at the home game of his US team Haas. “That wasn’t a good qualifying from us,” he admitted to the TV channel Sky. When trying to finally get his first World Championship points in Formula 1, the 23-year-old has to improve a lot on Sunday (9:30 p.m. / Sky).
