Max Verstappen caught fire at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix - and not in a positive, metaphorical way.

But the opposite can be said for Mercedes driver George Russell, who stormed to the top of the time sheets in the day’s second practice session.

Red Bull driver Verstappen was only third in the first free practice session behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and a hugely improved Russell in a heavily-upgraded Mercedes.

But things got worse in the second session when the Dutchman struggled with a steering failure that nearly saw him collide with Lance Stroll, before for his right rear brake caught fire.

Verstappen had already made a precautionary gearbox change that delayed him from getting on track at the onset of FP2, but soon after emerging from the pits for one stint in the session he appeared to suffer a hydraulic steering issue.

Just prior to flames bursting from the rear of his car, his race engineer was heard over radio asking the driver: “How’s the steering now Max?”

Verstappen replied: “It’s s***. I couldn’t f****** steer! I cannot do anything I’m really sorry.”

Verstappen managed to limp back to the pits, but took no further part in the session in what team principal Christian Horner called a “horrible” day for the Red Bull driver.

“We changed the gearbox and one of the coolers and he drives out and has a hydraulic issue which has unfortunately caused some damage to the brakes,” Horner told Sky Sports.

“He got a few laps in, I think he has had five timed laps today which were all competitive.

“Thankfully due to the red flags he’s not lost too much but it is frustrating not to have that track time.

“He will probably do a few more laps than normal in P3 to get used to the circuit.

“With a street circuit you just have to find your way into it but we know how good Max is at adapting to new circuits so I am sure he will catch that time up.”

Verstappen himself said: “Yes, just not a good day, and of course these days [it is] extremely painful.”

Making the most of reliability problems for world champion Verstappen and the Red Bull team, Russell clocked a best lap in one minute and 29.938 seconds to outpace championship leader Charles Leclerc of Ferrari by 0.106.

His performance suggested that, following four poor early-season races, the Silver Arrows’ package of aerodynamic upgrades was working.

Sergio Perez of Red Bull was third, a further tenth adrift, narrowly ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second McLaren.

Hamilton was given a late exemption to take part in the event with his nose ring following a clampdown on ‘driver bling’, having removed all of his other jewellery shortly before the opening session.

Fernando Alonso was fifth for Alpine ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly of Alpha Tauri in a session interrupted by two red flags on a warm, dry day at the new Miami International Autodrome.

Leclerc had topped the times ahead of Russell in the opening morning session, but was unable to repeat the feat in the afternoon when Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz crashed again.

PRACTICE ONE REPORT

World championship leader Charles Leclerc was fastest for Ferrari in the opening free practice ahead of the inaugural Miami Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Monegasque clocked a best lap in one minute and 31.098 on soft tyres to outpace nearest rival George Russell, in an updated Mercedes, by 0.071 seconds. World champion Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull.

Russell’s team-mate seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was eighth after gaining a late exemption to keep in his nose stud, following a bling clampdown by the sport.

Mercedes introduced a major package of aerodynamic upgrades and were rewarded with a revival on the track.

Sergio Perez was fourth in the second Red Bull, ahead of Pierre Gasly of Alpha Tauri, Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari and Alex Albon for Williams.

Behind Hamilton in eighth were Kevin Magnussen, ninth for Haas, and Daniel Ricciardo, 10th for McLaren.

Ricciardo was involved in a near-miss with Kevin Magnussen near the end of the session while the stewards will also investigate an earlier clash between the Australian and Mick Shumacher on Turn 16.

“What is going on,” Schumacher said over the team radio as he nearly went into Ricciardo’s McLaren.

Ricciardo was subsequently cleared of wrongdoing.

On a near-perfect day of blue skies and sunshine, the session began in hot conditions with an air temperature of 34 degrees and the track at 54, but with fast-forming clouds threatening rain.

The track surface was described as gritty and potentially loose, as the early runners, led by Lance Stroll, began setting lap times and testing their limits on the new track.

Verstappen, pushing hard, skimmed a wall under the bridge at Turn 13 after nine minutes, having gone top, before Leclerc outpaced him, the pair enjoying finding their limits as others spun and slithered.

Leclerc and his Ferrari team-mate Sainz traded fastest laps as they led the way, the Italian team having introduced a revised rear wing, while the Mercedes’ duo both lapped in the top ten.

Hamilton had removed most of his jewellery in compliance with a scrutineers’ clampdown, which had generated much controversy before the action began.

He kept his nose stud, however, for which he was given a special exemption, according to a pre-session note circulated by the FIA, confirming that Mercedes had finally completed a scrutineering declaration.

This meant both of their drivers would obey the rules about ‘the wearing of jewellery’ and ‘compliant underwear’, issues that had annoyed several drivers including four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.

The Aston Martin driver chose to show his feelings on the subject by wearing his underpants over his race suit as a sign of protest.

Hamilton’s exemption was reported to have been granted for two races and came after his successful efforts to remove his earrings.

On track, the first crash of the weekend came after 36 minutes when Valtteri Bottas clattered into the barriers at Turn Seven, prompting a first red flag.

After an eight-minute interruption, the action resumed with Hamilton, making the best of his improved Mercedes, rising to second before Sainz collected a front left puncture and spun at Turn Four.

In a final rush, Verstappen regained brief control at the top of the order and Russell proved Mercedes’ rediscovered pace by taking second before Leclerc clocked his best ahead of the Briton.

Hamilton, also on softs, was fast, but slowed by Tsunoda, and wound up eighth.