Lando Norris stormed to pole position for the Miami Grand Prix Sprint in a commanding performance on Friday, setting the only sub-1:28 lap of the session.
The reigning world champion delivered a 1:27.869 in SQ3 to seal top spot, continuing his strong form around the Miami International Autodrome where he claimed his first F1 win in 2024. Norris’s lap was over two tenths clear of the field, underlining McLaren’s pace after a solid start to the 2026 season.
Kimi Antonelli impressed again for Mercedes, taking second on the grid with a 1:28.091. The 18-year-old championship leader has been in stunning form, winning the last two grands prix, and he’ll start alongside Norris for Saturday’s sprint. Antonelli’s teammate Oscar Piastri made it two McLarens in the top three, just 0.017s behind the Mercedes rookie.
*Ferrari and Red Bull Off the Pace*
Ferrari’s strong showing in Friday’s extended practice session didn’t translate into sprint qualifying. Charles Leclerc, who topped FP1, could only manage fourth with a 1:28.239. Lewis Hamilton was further back in seventh, 0.749s off Norris’s pole time.
Max Verstappen led the Red Bull charge in fifth, but the reigning champion was 0.592s adrift of Norris. Verstappen’s teammate Isack Hadjar made SQ3 but ended up ninth. George Russell had a muted session in the second Mercedes, taking sixth place and finishing 0.624s off the pace — a result that will frustrate the Brit as he tries to close the gap to Antonelli in the standings.
Alpine showed promise with both cars reaching SQ3. Franco Colapinto secured eighth, with Pierre Gasly tenth. The team continues to extract solid one-lap performance from the A524.
*Midfield and Backmarkers*
Audi got both cars into SQ2, with Gabriel Bortoleto 11th and Nico Hulkenberg 12th. Haas rookie Oliver Bearman was 13th, ahead of the Williams pair of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz in 14th and 15th.
Racing Bulls had a tough session, with Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson only 16th and 17th. Esteban Ocon was 18th for Haas, while Cadillac’s debut season struggles continued with Sergio Pérez 19th and Valtteri Bottas 20th.
Aston Martin brought up the rear, with Fernando Alonso 21st after a scrappy lap and Lance Stroll 22nd. The team came to Miami without upgrades and it showed, with both cars well off the pace.
*Sprint Race Sets Up Key Battle*
Norris’s pole gives McLaren the advantage heading into Saturday’s sprint, which awards points to the top eight finishers. With Antonelli starting alongside him, the run to Turn 1 could be crucial. Piastri in third will also be looking to capitalize if the front two get tangled.
For Mercedes, Antonelli’s front-row start is another statement from the teenager, especially after his power unit issue in FP1 cut his running short. Russell in sixth has work to do if he wants to stop his teammate extending his championship lead.
Ferrari will be disappointed not to convert FP1 pace into a better grid slot, while Verstappen faces a recovery drive from fifth if he wants to score big points in the sprint.
The sprint race takes place at 12:00 local time on Saturday, followed by qualifying for Sunday’s main Grand Prix later in the day. With hot conditions forecast and tyre degradation expected to be high, Saturday’s 100km dash could still throw up surprises.
*2026 Miami GP Sprint Qualifying – Top 10*
1. Lando Norris – 1:27.869
2. Kimi Antonelli – +0.222
3. Oscar Piastri – +0.239
4. Charles Leclerc – +0.370
5. Max Verstappen [Red Bull] – +0.592
6. George Russell – +0.624
7. Lewis Hamilton – +0.749
8. Franco Colapinto – +1.451
9. Isack Hadjar [Red Bull] – +1.553
10. Pierre Gasly – +1.605[McLaren][Mercedes][Ferrari][Alpine]
With Norris on pole and Antonelli alongside, the Miami Sprint is perfectly set up for another chapter in 2026’s evolving title fight.