Source : ABC NEWS
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.
Red Bull’s reigning world champion Max Verstappen claimed pole position ahead of Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris after topping qualifying.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli qualified third fastest, with Piastri completing the second row.
In the rain-hit sprint race that preceded the qualifying session, Piastri had been controlling proceedings until a late safety car gifted victory to Norris.
Only 14 of the original 19 laps were raced.
Piastri had looked set to increase his championship advantage on the wet circuit as he sped into the lead on the first corner.
He was still clear with four laps remaining, only to pit at the most inopportune moment for slick tyres on a rapidly drying track.
Norris was called in immediately afterwards, but the safety car was then deployed after Fernando Alonso crashed his Aston Martin into the wall.
That meant Piastri had to slow and could not regain his lead.
It gave Norris a badly needed victory and reduced his deficit behind Piastri in the championship by one point to nine.
Piastri (left) was runner-up to Lando Norris (second from left) in the sprint race. (Getty Images: Hector Vivas)
“I don’t think I’m going to be buying a lottery ticket around this place,” said Piastri, who finished second.
“I feel like I did everything right so a bit disappointed to come in second.
“But that’s that’s how it goes sometimes. Unfortunately, racing’s a pretty cruel business so, hopefully, that means I get the luck for this afternoon and tomorrow. But another great start and I’m happy with what I did.”
The main race in Miami will be held on Monday morning AEST.
Piastri had another superb start, just as he did in beating Verstappen to the first corner in his Saudi Arabian Grand Prix win.
This time, he outpaced the youngest-ever F1 pole-sitter, 18-year-old Antonelli.
Antonelli complained Piastri had pushed him off the track unfairly with his surge up the inside, but stewards disagreed and took no further action.
Verstappen, who had originally finished fourth behind Lewis Hamilton, was demoted to 17th and last after Red Bull received a 10-second penalty for an unsafe pit-lane release.
His car collided with the unfortunate Antonelli, who ended up 10th.
With the track having dried out for qualifying, Piastri had been flying in Q2, setting the fastest lap of all in 1 minute and 26.269 seconds.
But he could not match that in the final session, clocking only 1:26.375, which was bettered by Verstappen (1:26.204), Norris (1:26.269) and Antonelli (1:26.271).
Verstappen is racing in Miami only days after he and his partner Kelly Piquet welcomed their first child, a daughter named Lily.
“He’s walking a step higher,” said Verstappen’s team boss Christian Horner.
“But we see time and time again, when he crosses that line into the garage and puts his helmet on, everything disappears. His ability to focus and deliver is insane.
“It’s really truly impressive.”
Alpine’s under-pressure Australian Jack Doohan finished 16th in the sprint and later out-qualified teammate Pierre Gasly for the first time to take 14th spot on the grid.
AAP/Reuters
