Verstappen Claims Pole Position at Miami Grand Prix Qualifying
Max Verstappen delivered a stunning performance to secure pole position in Qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix, outpacing Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli despite a slight error on his final lap. The reigning World Champion clocked a time of 1:26.204, edging out Norris by just six hundredths of a second.
Verstappen set the pace early in Q3, initially claiming provisional pole with a time of 1:26.492. However, his final attempt became precarious after a wobble in the first corner. Nevertheless, he managed to maintain his speed and finished strong, reaffirming his dominance on the circuit.
Norris, who had been competitive throughout qualifying, expressed his frustration after taking too much kerb during his flying lap, which ultimately cost him the chance to challenge for pole. Antonelli, the Mercedes rookie, followed up his pole success from Friday’s Sprint Qualifying by securing a solid third place, marking his best result in Grand Prix Qualifying to date.
Oscar Piastri and George Russell rounded out the top five, with Piastri settling for fourth and Russell in fifth. Carlos Sainz led the Williams contingent in sixth, followed closely by teammate Alex Albon in seventh. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc managed to bounce back from a pre-Sprint crash to take eighth, while Esteban Ocon of Haas and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda completed the top ten.
In a surprising turn of events, seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton faced an early exit from Q2, finishing in P12 after failing to improve his lap time. This setback came as a shock, particularly following a promising P3 result in the previous Sprint race.
As the session progressed, the intensity ramped up, especially after a wet-dry Sprint that delayed the start of qualifying. All 20 cars took to the track, with teams eager to capitalize on their setups despite concerns over damage from the earlier race.
The Miami Grand Prix is set to commence at 16:00 local time on Sunday, with Verstappen looking to convert his pole position into a race victory.
