The Mercedes car with the number 63 on the front is back in the garage, receiving some love and attention from the mechanics. All George Russell can do it is sit in the cockpit and wait patiently for his own personal green light to come back on.

Max Verstappen finds even more pace in that Red Bull and hits a new fastest marker of 1:27.669 on the soft rubber.

Carlos Sainz has joined the regular frontrunners in the top five and slots into second place behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen. Esteban Ocon informs his Alpine pit wall that the grip on track is improving, so expect the leaderboard to shuffle around a bit with 30 minutes to go.

Christian Hewgill
Pitlane reporter

Both Mercedes have just come into the pits - whatever issues they are having at the moment, both drivers have had enough for now.

Oh no, Nico Hulkenberg. The German driver is on the edge of binning his Haas like he did on Friday, but The Hulk is strong and he catches the moment of danger and saves team boss Guenther Steiner from having another big headache.

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

That is pretty bad news to hear that. If the balance is ok, then it is a bit of a head scratcher to know how to increase performance.

"Balance is ok, just struggling for overall pace."

Alex Albon is on the team radio to tell Williams that they have to remind him to reset his switches, as he has just done a whole lap in a different technical setting.

The gap from Max Verstappen in first to Charles Leclerc's Ferrari in second is 0.657secs. Leclerc was polesitter here in 2022 but has the Monegasque driver got the pace this year to pull off another front-row appearance in Miami?

The conditions in the 305 on Friday were sizzling and it looks like another scorcher today. But could there be a bit of rain in the air?

Factor 50 rather than umbrellas are needed for the fans packed in the grandstands at the moment.

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull, soft)

2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari, soft)

3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull, soft)

4. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin, soft)

5. Pierre Gasly (Alpine, medium)

A purple sector on the board for Sergio Perez and the Mexican crosses the line to go quickest of the bunch on the soft compounds.

But not far behind Perez is his team-mate and championship leader, Max Verstappen. One purple, two purples, three purples more and the Dutchman flies to the top of the timesheets with a 1:27.969 on the softs.

Lewis Hamilton is locking his front tyres quite a bit in the first few moments of this final Saturday practice session. The seven-time world champion flagged early on he wasn't happy with the vibrations he was experiencing and it doesn't look like the ride has become any smother for the Mercedes driver.

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

The only American in the field, and he's a Florida boy, there is a bit more at stake for Logan Sargeant. I do think he's acquitted solidly in the first four races but he is going to have to start putting it together at some point.

It didn't look like he had the best of starts this weekend and a street circuit is not an easy one to get up to speed.

The Alpine of Pierre Gasly picks up his stuff and shuffles down to third place, as the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have entered the Miami track.

Both Bulls are on the soft tyres, but here comes the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc on the red rubber also, who goes 0.094secs away from Verstappen quickest time of 1:28.963 to slot into second.

Image source, Pirelli Motorsport

Pirelli has gone one step up on the tyre ladder for this weekend's event in Miami compared to last week's race in Azerbaijan.

While Baku required the softest rubber in the range, the first grand prix in the United States this season needs the tyres in the middle of pack, so take your pick from the C2 (white, hard), C3 (yellow, medium) and the C4 (red, soft).

The fastest time yesterday was set during second practice, on the soft tyres, by Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Esteban Ocon has opted for a set of mediums for his initial runs in the Alpine and goes quickest with a 1:31.125.

The Frenchman is jumped by both Ferraris before his team-mate Pierre Gasly leaps to the front of the pack, on the same yellow tyres, with a marker in the 1:30s.

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

I wonder if Hamilton has gone out on a used set of tyres to start this one. He's gone on the softs very early.

"Front tyres are vibrating already."

Lewis Hamilton is an eager runner and has headed out to soak up as much track time as possible. The seven-time world champion is already on the radio to say he is not happy with his front tyres.