McLaren's Lando Norris claimed pole position for the Miami Grand Prix sprint race, marking the first time this season that a Mercedes driver has been beaten in qualifying. Norris, the reigning world champion, delivered a dominant lap to finish 0.222 seconds ahead of Kimi Antonelli, with teammate Oscar Piastri securing third.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took fourth, followed by Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Mercedes' George Russell. Lewis Hamilton, in the second Ferrari, placed seventh, while Argentine Franco Colapinto impressed in eighth for Alpine.
The result signals a resurgence for McLaren, which introduced a major upgrade package in Miami—similar to the one that turned Norris's season around in 2024. Most teams brought upgrades to this race, but Mercedes did not.
"It was great," Norris said. "Perfect result for us. Nice way to reward the team. We have a lot of new upgrades, nice to feel some grip again. Every track's different, but this one has always been good for us. Since the first lap I felt comfortable."
Saturday's sprint race begins at 17:00 BST, with qualifying for Sunday's grand prix at 21:00 BST. This event marks the first Formula 1 race in five weeks after cancellations in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and it's also the first since rule changes to engine-management regulations.
Antonelli salvaged a strong result for Mercedes after a difficult session. The Italian struggled in the heat—32°C temperatures didn't suit the Mercedes car—but timed his final run perfectly to claim second. "It was a pretty messy session," he admitted. "I struggled a lot with the car on the medium tires, but on the softs, the car became more alive. We expected this weekend to be tougher, as other teams brought major upgrades."
Mercedes driver George Russell was surprised by the pace of McLaren and Ferrari. "They made a big jump," he said. The result suggests that Mercedes may face stiffer competition than expected this season.