Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen claimed Pole Position at the Miami Grand Prix, setting a new timing record despite experiencing oversteer at Turn 1 during his push lap. Lando Norris lined up alongside his championship rival, in the same position the Briton had last year when he secured his maiden victory. Andrea “Kimi” Antonelli completed the Top 3, outqualifying his teammate for the first time in a Grand Prix qualifying session.
Earlier in the day, Lando Norris triumphed in the Sprint Race, which was marked by chaos over 16 rain-soaked laps. Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in the Sprint at the Miami GP.
Q1
The Kick Saubers and Williams were the first to head out in Q1. Alex Albon was noted for a pit lane infringement against Isack Hadjar, which was investigated after the session. Gabriel Bortoleto set the first lap with a time of 1:28.674, soon followed by his teammate, Nico Hülkenberg, who set a 1:28.391. Jack Doohan went faster than Hülkenberg with a 1:28.244. As the drivers set their first full lap times, Championship leader Oscar Piastri topped the timesheets with a 1:27.307, with reigning World Champion Max Verstappen right behind him with a 1:27.573. Lando Norris was third fastest with a 1:27.672.
Hadjar put in a strong lap to go second fastest with a 1:27.488. Carlos Sainz then set his Williams to P1 with a 1:27.098, before Sprint Pole sitter Kimi Antonelli snatched the top spot with a 1:27.077. Yuki Tsunoda managed to place his car in the Top 10 as Max Verstappen stormed to the top of the timing screens with a 1:26.870. Piastri responded, sliding just under Verstappen with a 1:27.006.
Lewis Hamilton found himself in the danger zone as he entered the pits, hoping to improve from P15. In the final minutes of Q1, George Russell moved up to P3, while Oliver Bearman was only able to manage P19. Pierre Gasly’s lap pushed Hamilton into the elimination zone, but just as Hamilton was on his push lap, Jack Doohan’s time pushed his teammate into the drop zone. However, Hamilton moved from the elimination zone to P8, while Tsunoda also managed to improve, moving his Red Bull into P9.
Nico Hülkenberg, Fernando Alonso, Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, and Oliver Bearman were eliminated in Q1 at the Miami GP, starting from P16 to P20, respectively.
Q2
Verstappen was the first car out in Q2, setting a time of 1:26.643, with Charles Leclerc right behind him with a 1:26.948. Soon after, Leclerc’s former teammate Sainz put his Williams into P2 with a 1:26.906, before Piastri, took second with a 1:26.855.
A McLaren 1-2 then emerged, with Piastri topping the charts with a 1:26.269, and Lando Norris following closely behind with a 1:26.499. Antonelli slotted in right behind the McLarens with a 1:26.606.
As the cars made their way into the pits, George Russell, Esteban Ocon, Jack Doohan, Liam Lawson, and Isack Hadjar found themselves in the elimination zone. Ocon, who had not improved in the first sector on his push lap, managed to place himself in ninth as several other drivers also improved.
Russell escaped the elimination zone and moved up to P3, while Lewis Hamilton was unable to improve as the checkered flag fell. Doohan, too, was unable to improve, ending his session and knocking him out in Q2.
Hadjar, Hamilton, Bortoleto, Doohan, and Lawson were eliminated in Q2 at the Miami GP, starting from P11 to P15, respectively.
Q3
Esteban Ocon was the first driver out in Q3, setting a time of 1:27.658. However, it was Max Verstappen who quickly lit up the timing screens, going fastest with a 1:26.492. He stayed at the top for some time, but Championship leader Oscar Piastri soon slid under him with a 1:26.509. Lando Norris then took his teammate’s provisional first-row spot with a 1:26.496. Andrea “Kimi” Antonelli also made his presence felt, setting a 1:26.735 to secure fourth fastest, with Alex Albon, George Russell, Carlos Sainz, Ocon, Yuki Tsunoda, and Charles Leclerc following in P5 to P10, respectively.
As the cars returned to the track after refuelling in the pits, Verstappen experienced oversteer at Turn 1. Despite this, he managed to maintain his position at the top, taking provisional pole. Norris, pushing hard to take pole from his rival, was unable to outdo Verstappen, settling for second fastest. Meanwhile, Piastri found himself just behind his teammate, but Antonelli made a significant move, outqualifying the Championship leader to take P3. This marked the first time Antonelli had outqualified Piastri in a Grand Prix qualifying session.
In the end, Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Miami GP, despite the oversteer in Turn 1 during his push lap. Lando Norris, who had hoped to snatch pole, will start from the front row, just as he did last year when he claimed his maiden victory in Miami. Kimi Antonelli rounded out the Top 3, having outqualified his teammate for the first time in a Grand Prix Qualifying format.
F1 Qualifying Order
- Max Verstappen
- Lando Norris
- Andrea “Kimi” Antonelli
- Oscar Piastri
- George Russell
- Carlos Sainz
- Alexander Ablon
- Charles Leclerc
- Esteban Ocon
- Yuki Tsunoda
- Isack Hadjar
- Lewis Hamilton
- Gabriel Borteleto
- Jack Doohan
- Liam Lawson
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Fernando Alonso
- Pierre Gasly
- Lance Stroll
- Oliver Bearman
