Lando Norris became the first non-Mercedes driver to claim a pole position in the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Miami Grand Prix. He set a benchmark time of 1:27.869 during Sprint Qualifying.
Kimi Antonelli qualified second, just two tenths behind Norris. Oscar Piastri took third place, while Charles Leclerc finished fourth after leading practice sessions. Max Verstappen showed improved form for Red Bull with a fifth-place qualifying time.
George Russell struggled and qualified sixth, followed by Lewis Hamilton in seventh. Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten in eighth and tenth respectively. Notably, Lance Stroll did not set a time due to an early spin.
McLaren’s recent upgrades played a crucial role in their enhanced performance during this event. George Russell remarked on how surprising it was to see such significant improvements from McLaren and Ferrari, stating, “Pretty surprising how big a jump McLaren and Ferrari made. That’s pretty damn impressive.”
Lando Norris expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, saying, “I feel very good. I’m very happy for the team.” He added, “It’s always a lot of expectations. A lot of work has gone into trying to bring these upgrades.” Since the first lap, everything felt better for him.
This pole position marks a critical shift in the ongoing battle for supremacy in the F1 season. The dominance previously held by Mercedes now faces serious competition from McLaren and Ferrari.
