F1 2024, Miami Grand Prix, live sprint classification, times, results, first practice sessions, grid, Daniel Ricciardo, Oscar Piastri position

Daniel Ricciardo has staged a surprising resurgence at the Miami Grand Prix, qualifying with the fourth-fastest time for Saturday’s sprint race.

The Australian was one of the star drivers of the session, reaching the final qualifying session for the first time this season, before posting a fast time with his upgraded VCARB.

The only drivers faster than Ricciardo were reigning champion Max Verstappen, who took pole in the sprint race, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.

“What a performance from Daniel Ricciardo, he’s finally showing us what he’s capable of,” said F1 commentator Martin Brundle on Sky Sports.

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By comparison, his RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda was 15th, while neither Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton nor George Russell made it to Q3.

Ricciardo was also faster than Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

“I’ve been able to do it before, so I know it’s in me. Did you expect to make a second row start? It’s probably not that good,” Riccardo laughed after the session.

“It was wild.

“I’m very proud of what I did today… things are definitely changing.

“It’s very nice to start towards the front.”

Speaking after the session, Verstappen confessed that he was surprised to have taken pole.

“It felt really terrible. Maybe that last session was incredibly difficult to get the tires working,” said the Red Bull driver.

“In some ways we were the first. Of course, I take it happily.

“But it wasn’t pleasant to drive it for some reason because in practice it was very, very nice, I was very comfortable and confident, in qualifying, not so much.

“But somehow we finished first. “I don’t know what happened to the other cars on that last lap.”

Meanwhile, Russell confessed that the Mercedes team needed to resolve its qualifying issues after another disappointing afternoon.

“We need to work through the night and make some improvements for the main classification,” said the British driver.

“I have no doubt that we will advance in the Sprint. We need to try to overcome our classification problems. It is always difficult to fight with the cars in front when we have started on the back foot.”

The Miami Sprint starts Sunday morning at 2am AEST.

Sprint qualifying result – top 10

1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull

2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

3) Sergio Pérez, Red Bull

4) Daniel Ricciardo, RB

5) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari

6) Oscar Piastri, McLaren

7) Lance Ride, Aston Martin

8) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

9) Lando Norris, McLaren

10) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas