After enjoying a positive Friday practice, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon is wary of the tight field spread in the midfield as he targets a Q3 appearance in qualifying for the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix on Saturday.
Aside from Logan Sargeant in the second Williams, every driver made it comfortably into the 1.29s and beyond in FP2, despite a stoppage caused by Charles Leclerc making it into the barrier at Turn 8 late in the session.
Dust gathering off-line on the circuit’s surface may provide difficult conditions for overtaking in Sunday’s race, making qualifying position crucial for a tightly packed midfield group.
The Frenchman didn’t raise as much concern about the track surface as his ex-team-mate Fernando Alonso has done, but Ocon contended that aiming for Q3 would be tough given how close the lap times are in the midfield.
“It’s been better I think we understood plenty today looking at quite a few different things between the two cars, trying all the compounds we had available also.”
Ocon achieved a best lap time of 1:28.937s during FP2 which put him ninth fastest overall, ahead of Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly’s 11th fastest time of 1:29.098s.
“So it has been interspersing to figure out the new layout to see how it feels. I think the organisers have done a great job looking at the tarmac being so much smoother than last year.
“It is still very slippery out there so far, it’s very hot but it’s been good, a good day and hopefully, we can keep going and be in the top ten tomorrow.”
When asked about the close lap times between the midfield teams, Ocon replied, “Too close!”
“Too close for comfort. The aim is to get into Q3 into the top ten. If we do so it would be a good Saturday.”
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