Miami Grand Prix: Sergio Perez takes pole
Sergio Perez took Pole Position for the Miami Grand Prix after a late red flag for a Charles Leclerc crash denied Max Verstappen a chance to recover from a P9 result.
Perez profited from a late red flag for Charles Leclerc’s crash, as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton suffered in the chaotic session.
The Mexican had set a time good enough for provisional pole with a 1:26.841 after Red Bull teammate Verstappen abandoned his opening flying lap of Q3 following mistakes in Turn 5-8.
With the field embarking on their final flying laps, a crash for Ferrari’s Leclerc brought out the red flags with less than 100 seconds remaining of the session, bringing it to an end.
The Monegasque crashed at Turn 6, meaning every driver was denied a final flying lap. As a result, championship leader Verstappen finished the session in P9.
Fernando Alonso took P2 for Aston Martin, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in third.
Kevin Magnussen secured a surprise P4 for Haas, ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Mercedes’ George Russell and Leclerc, who had made an error on his first flying lap.
Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Verstappen and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas completed the top ten.