Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Miami

Image source, Getty Images

Mercedes were not the only big-name team struggling. McLaren had a dire session, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri knocked out early on and lining up 16th and 19th.

The result underlined the difficult position the team find themselves in at the start of this season and was an illustration of why they are restructuring the team.

This weekend, it has emerged that they have brought back former IndyCar champion Gil de Ferran, their sporting director from 2018-21, in a consultancy role, to help them identify how they can get themselves back on track.

Lance Stroll, talking about the gusty weather, to Sky Sports: "It's pretty windy today, the tracks going to be green after the rain and cloud cover so the conditions are going to be different from what he had over the weekend. I have a few cars to overtake so I am going to look forward to the race.

"The wind affects the balance a lot. a 20-30lkm tail wind versus a head wind, that really affects the balance of the car. When you get a head wind it gives you a lot of grip and confidence. When you get a tail wind it takes away grip from the car - just things you've got to adapt to when conditions are changing so it'll be interesting."

Image source, Pirelli Motorsport

The choices left on offer for Sunday's 57-lap race around the Hard Rock Stadium in south Florida.

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).

Jeremiah Kariuki: If Perez can manage to keep Alonso behind by lap one, this is one race he is going to win. It will require total disaster on the others and best strategy for Verstappen to win this race. For Mercedes, a top 5 finish will be like a race win for them.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Miami

Image source, Getty Images

For Mercedes, there is light at the end of the tunnel, or so they hope.

The next race, at Imola in Italy in two weeks' time, sees the debut of their much-vaunted upgrade, which has been on the cards since Wolff admitted after the first qualifying of the season that they had gone the wrong way with their car development in sticking with last year's failed concept and would have to rethink.

A new front suspension and aerodynamic package is coming, which the team hope will start what Lewis Hamilton has called "a new path".

Toto Wolff said: "What we are trying to do with the upgrade is to create a new baseline for us to take question marks, variables out of the equation and say: 'This is not a problem now we have gone to a different spec.'

"And that is for example front suspension. We are also looking at bodywork solutions that are, let's say, more conventional and that will create a different airflow.

"For me, it is almost like a reset to what would have been a good start 12 months ago and then to try to add performance to the car. At the moment it is a lack of understanding.

"The car should be moving forward immediately. We know what we are going to deliver in terms of aerodynamic performance and hopefully also better behaviour of the car. This is definitely expected."

Image source, Getty Images

The verdict is in from Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff after four races and five qualifying sessions (and a sprint event) of watching the W14 in action.

"It's worse than I ever thought it would be," Wolff said. "Twelve months on since we were last in Miami and the car is just marginally better.

"The car is not fast enough and we haven't got any comprehension why that is. It is just not acceptable.

"I take no enjoyment from finishing sixth if the car is so bad. It's the lack of comprehension of what it is that makes this car such a nasty piece of work."

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Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes' practice pace was "like a kick in the gut" and the seven-time world champion was left downcast again on Saturday after a dismal qualifying result.

Hamilton suffered the same fate as his team-mate George Russell in Miami last year: failing to make the top-10 shootout after being knocked out in Q2. Russell lines up in sixth place today.

"It's one of those days," said Hamilton, who starts P13. "It's not the best. There were a couple of moments where the car was feeling half-decent and I thought maybe I will be able to get into Q3.

"But they put me out behind seven cars, or something like that, so when I got to the last corner, I was the last of a group and had to back up and lost all my temperature in the tyres, so when I started the lap, I had no grip."

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Kevin Magnussen capped off his first appearance in Q3 this season with a fantastic fourth place in qualifying for his American-based team Haas.

The Dane clocked an early time of 1:27.767 to outqualify the likes of Max Verstappen, George Russell and the two Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.

"I'm well chuffed with that," said Magnussen. "In the US, Miami Grand Prix, in front of the home crowd. It's great to be able to put on a result like that."

"Of course, it's no points for qualifying - we know that - but we also know how good it feels to have a good qualifying.

"It was a lot of fun and hopefully that gets everyone a bit pumped for [Sunday]."

Magnussen's P4 is Haas' first ever top four start in a grand prix.

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It won't surprise you that the celeb count is off the charts for the first of three races in the United States this season.

Tennis legend Roger Federer has brought the whole family along and has already been out on a hot lap.

Two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes is also in attendance, Wyclef Jean, Timbaland and Will.i.Am are representing the world of music and there are a lot of young folk here I've never heard of.

The grid walk later on Sky Sports with Martin Brundle is going to be cracker.

Movie star Tom Cruise has also arrived, so he's easily recognisable.

Andrew Priestley: After the barney they had in Baku last week, Max is going to have to manoeuvre his way around George Russell again today after his qualifying struggles. Neither driver will give the other an inch.

Stephen Taylor: I'm going for a carnage-fest race today with less than 10 finishers with a McLaren on the podium. Hey I can dream can't I?

Absolutely, Stephen! Pit lane is open.

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We have seen reigning world champion Max Verstappen plough his way through the field quickly from the rear of the grid before and the Dutchman is pretty confident he can lift his Red Bull from ninth with minimum fuss.

On what his expectations are for the race, he said: "Podium for sure. But I want to win, so this is not great. It's not impossible but it's not going to be easy."

Verstappen is six points clear of team-mate Sergio Perez in the hunt for the title but was left exposed because of a scrappy first attempt in Q3.

"That was a mistake of mine trying to put it to the limit and then having to abort the lap," said Verstappen.

"Then you rely on a bit of luck of course that there is not going to be a red flag. It can happen on a street circuit so I'm a bit upset with myself."

The weather has been glorious in Miami but there has been a spot of rain at the track earlier on today, washing away the rubber that has already been laid down. That fresh breeze could also catch a few drivers out again like the gusty conditions did in qualifying yesterday.

Image source, Getty Images

Miami marks Carlos Sainz's highest starting position after five rounds of qualifying this season.

The Spaniard, like most drivers this weekend, felt his performance in the Ferrari hadn't been his best after he secured third place with a time of 1:27.349 following the first batch of Q3 runs.

"For sure the lap time that we extracted was not the maximum and there was definitely a lot more to come in that second run of Q3 by putting the lap time together," said Sainz.

"The Q3 lap one run was nothing special and a bit off the pace because of some tyre preparation issues but yeah, today, and this weekend, has been much better. I feel back on the pace and confirms that Baku is the outlier [Sainz finished fifth]. I'm happy."

Image source, Getty Images

Is this the day Fernando Alonso finally collects win number 33?

Of course, the two-time world champion will have to overcome the strength of the Red Bulls - Alonso told Sky Sports Max Verstappen will probably be in his mirrors on "lap 25" - but a spot on the front row is greatly appreciated by the 41-year-old.

"It was a nice surprise!" said Alonso. "We probably didn't expect to be that competitive in qualifying. We were hoping to improve the performance; we have been up and down in free practice and then in qualifying, maybe P5, P6 was possible, behind the Ferraris and the Red Bulls - they seem quite fast this weekend again.

"But we put it all together in Q3 and P2 is a nice starting position."

Last year's inaugural race was not as glitzy as the off-track antics, but could the jumbled order this time out produce a memorable grand prix?

All predictions, theories and thoughts are welcome today. The #bbcf1 hashtag is wide open for all your views.

Image source, Getty Images

The gasps from the crowd could be heard all over Florida as Charles Leclerc's Ferrari was sent into a smoky spin and across the turquoise tarmac before hitting the barriers.

"Two days, two mistakes, same corner - this is not acceptable," said the Monegasque driver.

Leclerc celebrated two pole positions - one in main qualifying and another in the sprint shootout - in Baku last weekend and was aiming to secure back-to-back front-row appearances in Miami.

I know I am really good in qualifying," he said. "Most of the time I manage to extract the absolute maximum out of the car but it is the same mistake as yesterday, just over-pushing.

"You can always find excuses in those situations: 'The wind was really strong, it was really tricky, the set-up of the car was really tricky also.'

"But I put myself in this condition. I wanted the set-up and I knew it would be tricky, but I thought I would be able to extract the maximum out of the car in Q3, which is normally one of my strong points."

Leclerc is level on 28 points with Mercedes' George Russell in the championship and has only been on the podium once so far this season.

He added: "I know also that I'm taking more risk than others probably in Q3 and that's why most of the time I'm doing good Q3s. It's paying off most of the time. But this weekend I did too much and I cannot hide my disappointment."

Image source, Getty Images

When your team-mate, who is top of the championship standings, makes a mistake and has to abort their first flying lap in Q3, you better be there with your A game to take advantage on your opening run.

Sergio Perez put himself on provisional pole, 0.361secs ahead of Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso, before Charles Leclerc's crash ended the session prematurely.

The Mexican, who secured his third career pole in Miami, said it had been his "worst weekend up to qualifying."

"It wasn't coming together," said Perez. "I was struggling for balance, confidence."

When the five lights go out later on, Perez said he can only focus on himself and be fully committed.

He added: "The target is to get the perfect launch and then the perfect race. I am very happy; I feel like I am in a good moment but it is a long season and it is all about consistency."

BBC Sounds

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Have a listen to the Chequered Flag podcast as we build-up to lights out in Miami.

Christian Hewgill, Harry Benjamin and former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer reflect on yesterday's dramatic qualifying session.

Click here to listen on BBC Sounds

Image source, Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton has a tough day ahead with his Mercedes starting in the thick of the action in P13, while Max Verstappen's first task it to make a move on the Alpine of Esteban Ocon as soon as possible.

How will Kevin Magnussen fare from fourth position in the Haas? And Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas has a chance to add to his four championship points, if he can stay inside the top 10.

Hello everyone. Another bank holiday weekend of Formula 1 for us all to enjoy.

Saturday's qualifying session ended in a flash of red as those drivers who banked a lap earlier in Q3 were paid handsomely with a decent spot on today's starting grid - one which has a Spanish-speaking top three at the front.

Lights out for a mixed-up order at the Miami Grand Prix are at 20:30 BST.

Full commentary of tonight's race is available on BBC Radio 5 Live, the BBC Sounds app and at the top of this page using the audio icon.