Lando Norris Takes Sprint Pole in Miami Ahead of Antonelli, Piastri

Lando Norris celebrating on top of his McLaren

Max Verstappen qualified fifth for Red Bull, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton sixth and seventh.

Both Aston Martins and Cadillacs were eliminated in SQ1 as Miami’s sprint qualifying got underway....

Lando Norris put McLaren back on top in Miami, taking sprint pole with an upgraded car and ending Mercedes’ early-season dominance ahead of Saturday’s race.

The 26-year-old Briton beat championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 0.222s, with Mercedes rookie Antonelli lining up second. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was third, a further 0.239s back.

“It was great, a perfect result for us and a nice way to reward the team,” said Norris. “We've got some new upgrades so it's nice for me to feel some grip again. We've known that this track has always been good for us.

“But we knew, too, that what we were bringing would make a good step and it has and our estimations have been correct.“

For the first time in 2026, Mercedes lost out in qualifying after topping the timesheets at the opening three Grands Prix.

Ferrari showed pace with their upgraded car, though not quite matching the performance they had in earlier practice. Charles Leclerc took fourth for the Scuderia, ahead of a resurgent Max Verstappen in the revised Red Bull. Mercedes’ George Russell followed, with Lewis Hamilton seventh in the other Ferrari after dropping time on a mistake during his final run.

Franco Colapinto put Alpine eighth in a stronger showing, with Isack Hadjar ninth for Red Bull and Pierre Gasly rounding out the top 10 in the second Alpine.

In sweltering Miami conditions, Valtteri Bottas led the field out in his Cadillac as all 22 drivers hit the track right away at the Miami International Autodrome.

PO1️⃣E tomorrow 🤩#McLarenF1 | #MiamiGP 🌴 pic.twitter.com/RTU7vZ4k2t

— McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team (@McLarenF1) May 1, 2026

Leclerc, fastest in earlier practice, jumped to the top with a 0.022s edge over Antonelli. Hamilton slotted into third ahead of Verstappen and Gasly, while Russell struggled for pace before Norris and Piastri moved to the front. Norris set the benchmark at 1:28.723, 0.4s clear of Piastri, until Leclerc split the McLarens. Hamilton and the two Mercedes followed, leaving Verstappen down in seventh after SQ1.

The first knockout stage went as expected, with both Aston Martins, both Cadillacs, Haas’ Esteban Ocon, and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson in the yellow livery all eliminated.

SQ2 opened with Leclerc quickest again, underlining Ferrari’s upgrades. Piastri was close behind in the McLaren, just 0.036s off the Monegasque’s time.

  

Russell took fourth and Verstappen fifth, with championship leader Antonelli and world champion Norris behind them. Both Audis failed to make the top 10, joining Oliver Bearman’s Haas, the two Williams cars, and Arvid Lindblad in the second Racing Bulls in missing the cut.

After two runs on mediums, the SQ3 shootout between the top three teams got off to a slow start on softs, leaving each driver with just one flying lap to fight for pole.

The results are in from Sprint Qualifying... 💪

Lando Norris will lead the field away in tomorrow's #F1Sprint, ahead of Kimi Antonelli and team mate Oscar Piastri ⬇️#F1 #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/9gVeGUuq7i

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 1, 2026

Russell went out first but couldn’t match the pace that had given Mercedes qualifying dominance so far this year, ending up sixth, 0.6s off Norris’ benchmark. Norris’ upgraded McLaren delivered a 1:27.869 to take pole. Antonelli made a late push but had to settle for second, with Piastri third, Leclerc fourth, and Verstappen, Russell, and Hamilton following.

Norris took sprint pole for McLaren in Miami, ending Mercedes’ early-season qualifying run with Antonelli and Piastri lining up behind him.