Norris steals Miami sprint pole position, Ferrari's pace fades in SQ3

Lando Norris delivered a statement performance as the 2026 Formula 1 season roared back into action in Miami, storming to pole position for the sprint race with a lap that left the field stunned.

The reigning world champion mastered the one‑lap shootout in SQ3, beating Mercedes’ rising star and championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 0.222 seconds to secure McLaren’s first pole of the season — and the first non‑Mercedes pole of 2026.

After an enforced five‑week break, McLaren arrived in Miami with a heavily revised MCL40, and the impact was immediate. Norris praised the team’s efforts, calling the result “a perfect way to reward the team” after weeks of intense development work.

Oscar Piastri reinforced McLaren’s resurgence by securing third, just 0.239s behind Norris, giving the team a commanding presence at the sharp end of the grid.

Ferrari looked like the team to beat through the early phases of qualifying, with Charles Leclerc setting the pace in SQ1 and SQ2. But when it mattered, the Monegasque couldn’t match the McLarens’ grip and balance, slipping to fourth, 0.370s off pole.

Lewis Hamilton also struggled to extract performance from the Ferrari, ending the session seventh, more than seven tenths down on Norris.

Max Verstappen secured fifth in his upgraded Red Bull, though he remained over half a second adrift of the benchmark time. His team‑mate Isack Hadjar ended up ninth.

Mercedes endured a mixed session. Antonelli continued his strong form with a front‑row start, but George Russell could only manage sixth, unable to match his team‑mate’s pace throughout Friday.

Franco Colapinto impressed with eighth for Alpine while his team-mate Pierre Gasly put his Alpine into SQ3, taking tenth.

Audi narrowly missed out on the final segment, with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg lining up 11th and 12th. Ollie Bearman led Haas in 13th, ahead of Williams pair Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz.

Cadillac’s first upgrade package wasn’t enough to lift the team out of SQ1, with Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas stuck in 18th and 19th.