Miami Grand Prix – Friday Qualifying – Mercedes AMG-PETRONAS Formula One Team

2024 Miami Grand Prix, Friday – LAT Images

Disappointment from Friday’s sprint qualifying in Florida

GEORGE RUSSELL

“In the first practice, the soft set of tires on our car behaved really well. The pace looked good, but we just couldn’t get the car in the ideal position on the medium compound in sprint qualifying. We found ourselves on the wrong side of the border. It was very tight on the track, only a few hundredths of a second was enough for SQ3. We shouldn’t have been so close to relegation and we will work hard tonight to find improvement. I have no doubt that tomorrow we will move forward in the sprint. We have to overcome our qualifying woes because it’s always difficult to start from behind.”

LEWIS HAMILTON

“I behaved really well in the first practice and I was happy with my balance. Unfortunately, in sprint qualifying the balance changed and the car went back. We were close to progressing to SQ3, but we were well ahead. We start from 12th place and the sprint will be difficult for us. I don’t expect much from it as it’s not an easy circuit to follow or overtake. However, we will try to do everything to get the car into the points.”

2024 Miami Grand Prix, Friday – Sulay Kelly

ANDREW SHOVLIN, TRACK ENGINEERING DIRECTOR

“We are understandably disappointed with how today unfolded. The team worked through the complete program in the first practice and both drivers were satisfied with the balance of the car. Before sprint qualifying, we decided to make changes that were relatively small, with the aim of maintaining this advantage in the afternoon. Unfortunately, and as we have seen on many occasions this year, we were not able to make the move that others were able to make in the session that mattered. The grid was tight, but we won’t make excuses as to why both our cars dropped out in the second quarter. We have to do a better job to keep the car in the right window and use the potential we showed in earlier practice. The goal in a sprint is to get both cars into the points. We know it will be a challenge for eleventh and twelfth, but we will be fully focused on that. We will also be looking to use the sprint to understand the car better and get it in a better position for qualifying and the Grand Prix later in the weekend.”