Qualifying for Formula 1 in Miami reached an abrupt end Saturday, as Charles Leclerc ended Qualifying 3 via red flag with a crash, leaving defending Miami Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen without a time.
Red Bull Racing is still in terrific shape, however, with Sergio Perez claiming the pole position with a lap time of 1:26.841, the fastest of the day. It's Perez's first pole position outside of the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, as he looks for his second win in as many weeks.
Fernando Alonso managed to take second in qualifying despite teammate Lance Stroll not making it out of Q1. He is looking to top his season-best third place, where he's finished three teams so far in 2023.
Lewis Hamilton had a difficult day, finishing 13th for his worst qualifying on U.S. soil. Hamilton had previously never finished below sixth in the United States, nor had he missed Q3.
As for Leclerc, he came in seventh in qualifying following his crash.
Leclerc goes spinning off into the barriers!
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 6, 2023
🚩 RED FLAG 🚩 #MiamiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/tabpI1bSnm
MORE: Watch the 2023 Miami Grand Prix with Fubo (free trial, US only)
Other teams well-positioned include Alpine and Ferrari, the other two teams with two drivers inside the Top 10. Logan Sergeant finished last in qualifying on a course the Fort Lauderdale native could call home.
Here's all of the action as it unfolded Saturday:
Formula 1 starting grid for 2023 Miami Grand Prix
| Position | Driver (Team) |
| 1 | Sergio Perez (Red Bull Racing) |
| 2 | Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) |
| 3 | Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) |
| 4 | Kevin Magnussen (Haas F1 Team) |
| 5 | Pierre Gasly (Alpine) |
| 6 | George Russell (Mercedes) |
| 7 | Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) |
| 8 | Esteban Ocon (Alpine) |
| 9 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) |
| 10 | Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romero) |
| 11 | Alexander Albon (Williams) |
| 12 | Nico Hulkenberg (Haas F1 Team) |
| 13 | Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) |
| 14 | Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romero) |
| 15 | Nyck De Vries (AlphaTauri) |
| 16 | Lando Norris (McClaren) |
| 17 | Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) |
| 18 | Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) |
| 19 | Oscar Piastri (McClaren) |
| 20 | Logan Sargeant (Williams) |
F1 Miami live qualifying results
4:59 p.m. -- HUGE spin out there from Leclerc as he spirals off the course, and we immediately get a red flag. Q3 ends INCREDIBLY abruptly, and Perez takes the pole position.
4:57 p.m. -- The standings as is: Perez, Alonso, Sainz, Magnussen, Gasly, Russell, Leclerc, Ocon, Verstappen, Bottas. Everyone is out.
4:56 p.m. -- Only five minutes left, and Verstappen and Bottas have no time set yet. They'll need to turn in a monster of a lap to overtake Perez.
4:55 p.m. -- Verstappen said he went wide on turns 4, 5, and 6 which harmed him. Alonso pits in second place for the time being.
4:52 p.m. -- Perez has set the lap of the day, hitting 1:26.841. Alonso came in 0.361 behind him. Verstappen punted on the lap and has no time set.
4:50 p.m. -- Hamilton explained something he said at the end of the race, "we left it too late." He felt he was sent to the garage too late, which compromised his final laps.
4:48 p.m. -- The green light is flashing and Q3 is underway. As a reminder, this is a sprint to the pole position, and Verstappen will set the pace for Red Bull once again.
4:42 p.m. -- This is Hamilton's worst qualifying in the United States of his career. In fact, he'd never finished out of the top six.
4:40 p.m. -- Qualifying 2 is wrapping up as Verstappen retains pole position, Leclerc is second for Ferrari, and Alonso is third for Aston Martin. Hamilton is out and George Russell gets into 10th. Brutal break for Hamilton, who will start 13th on the grid.
4:37 p.m. -- As far as solo drivers go, Alonso is really holding his own for Aston Martin. He's frustrated because he thought Haas committed a dangerous release. He is sitting fourth.
4:32 p.m. -- The teams were bunched for a long time but got some separation on that last lap. The two Ferraris are now in second and fifth, while Red Bull sits first and third. Hulkenberg and Magnussen are on the bubble for Haas Racing for now at ninth or 10th.
4:29 p.m. -- Verstappen sets the pace at 1:27.110 for his first lap, Perez 0.218 seconds behind him, Russell 1.077 seconds back. Hamilton clocks 1.230 seconds back, and Fernando Alonso came in at 0.388 back.
4:26 p.m. -- Qualifying 2 begins as Verstappen and Perez lead the field.
4:25 p.m. -- There will be no more investigation for impeding or unsafe release, meaning Round 1 was clean to the stewards.
4:22 p.m. -- Norris, Tsunoda, Stroll, Piastri and Sargeant are eliminated in the first round of qualifying, so they will make up the bottom five on Sunday.
4:19 p.m -- Huge jump for Bottas, who jumped up to sixth fastest. And Hamilton goes up to sixth fastest at the last moment! The first round of qualifying ends, with Verstappen setting the pace and Hamilton and Russell eking in. Both McLarens are out, with Norris and Piastri getting knocked out.
4:18 p.m. -- Mercedes is in some serious trouble. Hamilton and George Russell are in 16th and 17th, respectively, putting them in the elimination zone. If neither of them makes it, it would be a massive moment in Mercedes.
4:14 p.m. -- Mercedes is really struggling, sitting in 10th and 11th here in the early going. Red Bull and Ferrari make up the top four.
4:12 p.m. -- "What the f--- is he doing?" Zhou is upset because he thinks Ferrari squeezed him into the wall.
4:09 p.m. -- Magnussen is currently being investigated for impeding Hamilton, who hit the right-hand wall on Turn 17.
4:02 p.m. -- The cars are now out on the course, with Logan Sargeant looking aggressive out of the gate. Lewis Hamilton is in the six spot early.
3:57 p.m. -- And we're very nearly underway in Miami! The broadcast has begun as we determine the starting grid at Hard Rock Stadium.
3:30 p.m. -- F1 Qualifying for Miami is quickly approaching, as the field attempts to catch up to Max Verstappen. The reigning champion has looked the fastest in practice races so far, so he'll look to continue that dominance..
MORE: F1 2023 Miami Grand Prix: Predictions, odds, best bets
What time does the F1 race start this week?
- Date: Sunday, May 7
- Start time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Sunday's Miami Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET. Lights out will likely take place just after 3:30 p.m. ET.
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | India | |
| Date | Sun, May 7 | Sun, May 7 | Sun, May 7 | Mon, May 8 | Mon, May 8 |
| Time | 20:30 BST | 3:30 p.m. ET | 3:30 p.m. ET | 05:30 AEST | 01:00 IST |
What channel is the F1 race on?
- Race: Miami Grand Prix
- Date: Sunday, May 7
- US TV channel: ABC
- US Live stream: ESPN+, Fubo
F1 Miami Grand Prix 2023 TV channel
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | India | |
| TV Channel | Sky Sports F1 | ABC | TSN (English); RDS (French) | Fox Sports | N/A |
F1 Miami Grand Prix 2023 live stream
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | India | |
| Live Stream | NOW TV / Sky Go app | ESPN+, Fubo | TSN Direct | Kayo | F1 TV Pro |
Formula 1 schedule 2023
The 2023 Formula 1 schedule heading into the first race of the season features 23 total races, with the season beginning on March 5 in Bahrain and ending in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 26.
This year, the United States expansion continues. F1 plans for three races on American soil, with the Las Vegas Grand Prix joining the United States and Miami races.
Here's the complete Sunday race schedule for 2023:
| Date | Race | Track | Start time (ET) | TV channel | Winner (Team) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 5 | Bahrain Grand Prix | Bahrain International Circuit | 10 a.m. | ESPN | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) |
| March 19 | Saudi Arabian Grand Prix | Jeddah Street Circuit | 1 p.m. | ESPN | Sergio Perez (Red Bull) |
| April 2 | Australian Grand Prix | Albert Park Circuit | 1 a.m. | ESPN | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) |
| April 30 | Azerbaijan Grand Prix | Baku City Circuit | 7 a.m. | ESPN | Sergio Perez (Red Bull) |
| May 7 | Miami Grand Prix | Miami International Autodrome | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | TBD |
| May 21 | Emilia Romagna Grand Prix | Imola Circuit | 9 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| May 28 | Monaco Grand Prix | Circuit de Monaco | 9 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| June 4 | Spanish Grand Prix | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya | 9 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| June 18 | Canadian Grand Prix | Circuit Gillies-Villenueve | 2 p.m. | TBD | TBD |
| July 2 | Austrian Grand Prix | Red Bull Ring | 9 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| July 9 | British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit | 10 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| July 23 | Hungarian Grand Prix | Hungaroring | 9 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| July 30 | Belgian Grand Prix | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | 9 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| August 27 | Dutch Grand Prix | Circuit Zandvoort | 9 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| Sept. 3 | Italian Grand Prix | Monza Circuit | 9 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| Sept. 17 | Singapore Grand Prix | Marina Bay Street Circuit | 8 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| Sept. 24 | Japanese Grand Prix | Suzuka International Racing Course | 1 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| Oct. 8 | Qatar Grand Prix | Lusail International Circuit | 1 p.m. | TBD | TBD |
| Oct. 22 | United States Grand Prix | Circuit of the Americas | 3 p.m. | TBD | TBD |
| Oct. 29 | Mexico City Grand Prix | Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez | 4 p.m. | TBD | TBD |
| Nov. 5 | Sao Paulo Grand Prix | Interlagos Circuit | 12 p.m. | TBD | TBD |
| Nov. 18 | Las Vegas Grand Prix | Las Vegas Street Circuit | 1 p.m. | TBD | TBD |
| Nov. 26 | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | Yas Marina Circuit | 8 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
How to watch Formula 1 in Canada
- TV channel: TSN (English); RDS (French)
- Live stream: TSN Direct
For fans in Canada, TSN will carry the English-language telecast of races. For those looking for the French-language broadcast, RDS will have you covered.
Races can be streamed on Fubo and via TSN's streaming service, TSN Direct.
How to watch Formula 1 in the United Kingdom
- TV channel: Sky Sports F1
- Live stream: NOW TV / Sky Go app
Viewers in the United Kingdom can catch all F1 action on Sky Sports F1, the dedicated F1 channel. For viewers planning to live stream F1 in 2023, you can watch via the Sky Go app if you're an existing subscriber or you can purchase a Sky Sports Pass on NOW TV.
How to watch Formula 1 in Australia
- TV channel: Fox Sports; Channel 10
- Live stream: Kayo
Fox Sports will carry all races in Australia for the 2023 season.