Live: Piastri starts fourth in Miami while title rivals are on the front row

If the rain stays away, it is anticipated this will be a one-stop race.

Most drivers are starting this race on the medium compound tyre.

Those on the hard tyre are:

• George Russell, fifth
• Lewis Hamilton 12th
• Oliver Bearman, 19th

Pole sitter Max Verstappen leads the field for the formation lap.

Australia’s drivers’ championship leader Oscar Piastri starts this race from fourth, with Verstappen, teammate Lando Norris and Mercedes teen Kimi Antonelli ahead of him.

Norris is nine points adrift in the championship to Piastri, while Verstappen 19 points off the Aussie.

However, no driver has started on the front row and won the Miami Grand Prix.

UK broadcaster Sky Sports has just spoken to Mercedes driver George Russell ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

There is rain around Miami, but currently not at the circuit.

Rain affected the sprint race yesterday.

Russell said the teams will need to be on their toes for this race.

“The rain is totally unpredictable here,” he says.

“I think in Melbourne, when the rain came in it was easy to predict for the team.

“Whereas here it seems to come out of nowhere.”

1. 1.Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
2. 2.Lando Norris, McLaren
3. 3.Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
4. 4.Oscar Piastri, McLaren
5. 5.George Russell, Mercedes
6. 6.Carlos Sainz, Williams
7. 7.Alexander Albon, Williams
8. 8.Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
9. 9.Esteban Ocon, Haas
10. 10.Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
11. 11.Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
12. 12.Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
13. 13.Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
14. 14.Jack Doohan, Alpine
15. 15.Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
16. 16.Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
17. 17.Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
18. 18.Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
19. 19.Oliver Bearman, Haas

Starting from pit lane

Pierre Gasly, Alpine Renault

Oscar Piastri leaps to the defence of Lando Norris after ex-Formula 1 world champion Alan Jones suggests the Briton lacks mental toughness.

Leading into this weekend, there was a lot of noise around Norris, who did respond perfectly with a win in the sprint race.

Here is what Piastri said of his teammate leading into the weekend.

The pit lane in open and the cars are out on track, making sure their cars work.

All eyes are on the skies.

There are thunderstorms around the Miami area, but currently, not at the grand prix.

Rain affected yesterday’s sprint race, which was won by McLaren’s Lando Norris ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri.

Miami International Autodrome is one of the newer destinations in Formula 1.

Drivers contend with 19 corners on a lap, which takes less than 90 seconds to complete.

Max Verstappen’s pole lap was completed in 1:26.204.

Turn 17, at the end of the circuit’s long straight, and turn 11 are the best overtaking spots on the track.

Both corners come at the end of a DRS zone.

There are three DRS zones in Miami between turns 19 and 1, turns 9 and 11, and on the long approach to turn 17.

The circuit is 5.412km long and today’s race will be contested over 57 laps.

There is no better place to start a race than on pole position —except Miami.

No pole sitter has won the three F1 grand prix staged here. The pole sitter has finished second every time.

In the previous three editions:

• 2024: Lando Norris won from fourth
• 2023: Max Verstappen won from ninth
• 2022: Max Verstappen won from third

History has already been made this weekend in Miami.

Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli became F1’s youngest pole sitter in any format after lapping fastest in the Miami Grand Prix sprint qualifying.

Yesterday’s battle for pole position was tight, as it has been all year.

Pole sitter Max Verstappen was 0.065 seconds quicker.

It was Piastri’s third pole position this season and, believe it or not, this was the biggest margin he’s had to second place.

Australia’s F1 world championship leader Oscar Piastri will start fourth on the grid at the Miami Grand Prix, having earlier been frustrated by his second-place finish in the sprint race.

World champion Max Verstappen will start on pole, just after he and his partner Kelly Piquet welcomed their first child, Lily.

Verstappen is joined on the front row by Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who won yesterday’s sprint race.

Oscar Piastri entered this weekend with a 10-point lead over teammate Lando Norris in the drivers’ championship.

That lead narrowed slightly to nine points, following yesterday’s sprint race.

Today, Piastri starts fourth, while rivals Norris and Max Verstappen are on the front row.

Good morning, Australia.

Welcome to ABC Sport’s live blog coverage of the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.

Australian Oscar Piastri enters this morning’s grand prix with a narrow lead in the F1 drivers’ championship.

The McLaren driver will start fourth, but his two main rivals are on the front row.

ABC Sport will be keeping you up to date with the sixth grand prix of this year’s championship.

Let’s go.