The 19 drivers will race at the Miami International Autodrome on Sunday, May 8. The two Ferraris, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, starting from the front row, followed by the Red Bulls – Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. 

Also read: Is Netflix behind Formula 1’s American boom?

While the Miami GP is expected to be a thrilling and cut throat event, the drivers have some concerns. They have been asking the FIA, the sport’s governing body, to clean the first corner of the track. 

Some accidents, precisely four, have taken place at Miami this weekend. Drivers are complaining about the low grip away from the racing line.

Also read: Lewis Hamilton threatens to skip Miami Grand Prix over jewellery ban

On Friday, Carlos Saniz’s Ferrari spun and hit an unprotected concrete wall on the outside of Turn 14. “It wasn’t easy at all to get the confidence back at a difficult circuit like this new one at Miami,” the Spaniard said a day later. 

On the same day, Estaban Ocon of Alpine crashed into the same corner. He will mis the race as his car’s chassis was cracked in the impact with the barrier and could not be changed in time.

The second practice saw Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel involved in seperate incidents. The two spun after being while overtaking and being passed by other cars. The session saw three red-flags. 

Also Read: Formula 1: What penalties will Lewis Hamiltion face if he keeps defying FIA’s jewellery ban?

“At the start it could be very tricky on that inside line and that outside line of Turn 1. We’ve asked the FIA to make sure that the track is as clean as possible for that start because we could see mistakes coming from drivers that really have no blame for it,”Sainz said in the post-qualifying press conference.

“Because it’s basically like driving on a dry line and out of the line feels like it’s wet – so we need a bit of help there from the race direction to help us,” he added. 

The FIA said that it ‘does not plan to carry out any additional track sweeping or cleaning as the whole circuit is swept ahead of each new session’, the Autosport reported.