Allison eyes qualifying boost in Miami

In brief

Allison eyes qualifying boost in Miami

Mercedes technical director James Allison says he is hopeful that the team’s upgrades for this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix could help improve their positions in the two qualifying sessions.

“We head from China, one of the most famously front-limited circuits, to Miami, a track that is more in the rear-limited end of the spectrum,” Allison explained. “Our challenge will be to make sure we don’t try and replay China at a Miami that is a very, very different beast and wants different things from the car than China will.

“We face the enjoyment of another sprint weekend with this second go of having two bites of the cherry and we definitely learnt during last weekend that if you’re going to be ambitious, be ambitious in the sprint race and then tune it down for the main race rather than the opposite way around.

“Hopefully we’ll land a car in a better place, that the upgrades that we’re going to bring to Miami serve us well in a grid that – in qualifying at least – is really close. Around the part of the battle we’re fighting, a few hundredths can make a difference sometimes and a couple of tenths would make all the difference in the world. So looking forward to seeing how that all plays out.”

Abel takes Barber Indy Nxt win

Jacob Abel claimed his first win in the Indy Nxt series after leading every lap of the race at Barber Motorsports Park from pole position.

In his third year in the series, Abel was quickest in every single session and held off Nolan Siegel in the later laps before a Caution period triggered by Jamie Chadwick spinning out effectively ended the race.

After two rounds, Abel and Siegal are joint first at the top of the championship on 95 points with one win and one second place finish apiece.

Sharp leads McLaren junior Ugochukwu in GB3

Louis Sharp continues to lead the GB3 championship standings after the second round of the series at Silverstone.

The reigning British F4 champion finished fourth and fifth in the two races held at the circuit, won by Tymek Kucharczyk and Will Macintyre, respectively. McLaren junior Ugo Ugochukwu remains in second place in the standings, nine points behind Sharp’s 122.

Fairclough out front as British F4…