Norris Takes Sprint Pole in Miami Ahead of Antonelli, Piastri

Lando Norris put McLaren back at the sharp end by claiming pole position for the Miami Sprint, beating championship leader Kimi Antonelli by over two-tenths of a second. Oscar Piastri made it a McLaren lockout of the front row in third, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and a heavily upgraded Max Verstappen completing the top five. The result signals a potential shift after McLaren's major upgrade package, interrupting Mercedes' early-season dominance.

Why it matters:

McLaren's return to the front in qualifying is a significant statement after a five-week development break, proving their upgrade package has immediate pace. For Antonelli, starting alongside Norris on the front row reinforces his status as a title contender in his rookie season and sets up a fascinating inter-team battle at the front of the Sprint grid.

The details:

• Norris secured pole with a lap of 1:27.869 in SQ3, recovering from a scrappy SQ2 where he only managed seventh.
• Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli qualified second, 0.222s behind, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri a mere 0.017s further back in third.
• Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth, showing strong pace throughout the session, while Max Verstappen benefitted from a substantial Red Bull upgrade to take fifth.
• Session Breakdown: Norris led SQ1, but Leclerc topped SQ2. The final shootout saw Norris deliver a clean lap when it counted most.
• Notable Eliminations: Williams' Carlos Sainz was vocal in his frustration after being eliminated in SQ2, telling his team they were "three steps behind." Both Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll failed to set a lap time in SQ1.

What's next:

All eyes turn to the 19-lap Sprint race, where the clean side of the grid could give Antonelli an opportunity to challenge Norris into Turn 1. The race will be the first true test of McLaren's race pace with its new upgrades against the consistent Mercedes. The results will also provide crucial data ahead of the main Grand Prix qualifying session later today, setting the stage for the rest of the Miami weekend.

2026 Miami Grand Prix – Sprint Qualifying Top 10:

1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.222s
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.239s
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.370s
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.592s
6. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.624s
7. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.749s
8. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +1.451s
9. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +1.553s
10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.605s