The Miami Grand Prix practice session saw Charles Leclerc take the top spot, with a time of 1m29.310s, almost three-tenths of a second ahead of Max Verstappen. This was a positive start for Ferrari, with Leclerc's teammate, Lewis Hamilton, in fourth place. However, the session was not without its challenges for Mercedes, as power unit issues affected Kimi Antonelli, forcing him to miss the soft-tyre runs. The team's best finish was fifth, with George Russell claiming sixth. The session was also extended to 90 minutes due to various tweaks to the 2026 regulations and the introduction of car upgrades by several teams. The hard tyre was used for much of the session, with Leclerc setting the fastest time on a 1m29.855s. The soft tyres were used later in the session, with Verstappen taking the lead with a 1m29.776s. Leclerc then regained the top spot with a 1m29.443s, before improving again to a 1m29.310s with a tow from Lando Norris on the back straight. Verstappen also improved late on to a 1m29.607s, leaving him in second place. The top three was completed by Oscar Piastri for McLaren, with a 1m29.759s, set on the softs. The session was not without its drama, with Antonelli causing a boil when he was forced to slow down upon approaching a weaving Lance Stroll into Turn 11. The session saw the usual suspects towards the back, with Cadillac and Aston Martin taking four of the bottom five positions. Overall, the session provided an interesting insight into the teams' performance and the impact of the various regulations and upgrades on the race.
