Leclerc fastest in Miami as Hamilton given 'bling' exemption for nose stud

World championship leader Charles Leclerc was fastest for Ferrari in Friday morning's 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 teammate 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.READ | F1 LIVE: Miami Grand Prix

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.

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 teammate 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.READ | 3 watches, 8 rings, and a chunk of chains: Hamilton prepares