Kimi Antonelli delivered a flawless performance in the final qualifying session for the Miami Grand Prix, clinching pole position ahead of a rejuvenated Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team. The young Mercedes driver, who had only managed a sixth‑place finish in the earlier sprint race due to a track‑limits penalty, turned his fortunes around dramatically with a blistering lap that set the benchmark for the rest of the field. During a tense Q3 that saw each of the sport's traditional powerhouses – Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren – appear capable of taking the top spot, Antonelli posted a time of 1:27.798.
That lap not only secured him the front row but also forced his rivals to chase an ominous standard. Although a small mistake at the start of his final flying lap prevented him from improving his time, the Italian teenager still finished comfortably ahead of Verstappen, who was second in the heavily upgraded Red Bull, and Charles Leclerc, who occupied third place in a similarly overhauled Ferrari.
Both Verstappen and Leclerc were roughly two‑tenths and three‑tenths of a second slower than Antonelli’s pole lap, respectively. George Russell, Antonelli’s teammate at Mercedes, struggled to match his compatriot’s pace and qualified only fifth, trailing the pole‑sitter by four‑tenths of a second. This marked another challenging session for Russell, who has been unable to replicate the dominant form shown by the legendary Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher – the only drivers to have achieved three consecutive pole positions at the start of their careers, a feat Antonelli now joins.
Reflecting on his achievement, Antonelli said, "It’s been an amazing day to be on pole again. The sprint didn’t go our way, but I’m thrilled with the recovery." He added that a brief surge of excitement on his final lap in Q3 was unnecessary, as his earlier lap was already sufficient to secure the top spot.
The victory also narrowed the championship gap between him and Russell, who now trails by only seven points after the sprint penalty. For the first time this weekend, Verstappen will line up alongside Antonelli on the front row. The Dutch driver has built on a strong start to the weekend, delivering an upgraded Red Bull that finally feels competitive enough to challenge for pole.
This marks the first time in the 2026 season that Red Bull has secured a front‑row start. McLaren, meanwhile, experienced a "reality check" after dominating the sprint. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who had secured a one‑two finish in the sprint, dropped to fourth and seventh on the grid for the main race.
Norris described the session as a wake‑up call, noting that subtle changes in wind direction, temperature, and track conditions had affected the team's performance. He emphasized that while McLaren had shown speed in the sprint, the full‑race qualifying highlighted areas that still need improvement. Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth, sandwiched between Russell and Piastri. His lap was marginally closer to his teammate Charles Leclerc than in the sprint qualifying, reflecting the significant setup changes Hamilton announced he would make to the car.
The top ten grid order largely mirrored Friday’s sprint results, with Franco Colapinto in eighth for Alpine, followed by Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar in ninth and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in tenth. Weather conditions added another layer of complexity to the weekend. While Miami has been bathed in intense sunshine, forecasts predicted rain and possible thunderstorms for Sunday. After the qualifying session, officials consulted with the FIA and the race organizers, deciding to move the race start forward by three hours to 6 p.m.
UK time (1 p.m. local) to avoid the anticipated heavy rain later in the afternoon. The starting grid, after the final qualifying run, was as follows: 1.
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 3.
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 5.
George Russell (Mercedes) 6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 7.
Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 8. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) 9. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) 10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) Following a five‑week hiatus caused by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, most of the eleven teams on the grid have introduced a range of upgrades for the Miami circuit.
These developments have narrowed the performance gap that existed early in the season, with McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull now appearing capable of challenging Mercedes on pure pace. During the sprint, McLaren had seemed the team to beat, but the full qualifying session demonstrated that the hierarchy was still fluid. Mercedes, propelled by Antonelli’s rapid lap, reclaimed the initiative, while Red Bull continued to make incremental gains.
Verstappen, after a strong start in Q1 and leading Q2, ended his final attempt just 0.166 seconds shy of Antonelli’s pole time, underscoring how close the competition had become. Verstappen commented on the turnaround, saying, "It’s an incredible turnaround for us. I didn’t feel in control of the car until this weekend.
The team delivered a performance upgrade that made the car far more drivable, and it clicked as soon as I got back in it. Being on the front row is a surprise, but it’s a massive boost for the whole team and shows we’re heading in the right direction." McLaren’s Norris explained the dip in performance, noting that the wind had shifted and the track temperature had changed, affecting tire behavior. He added that while the team had performed brilliantly in the sprint, the qualifying session served as a reminder that consistency across different conditions is essential. "Mercedes are just as quick as us," Norris said, "and when you look at the data from Ferrari and Red Bull, there are many sectors where they are faster.
We did a great job in the sprint, but qualifying was a reality check and showed where we need to improve." The weekend’s schedule includes a Formula 2 feature race at 2.25 p.m. on Sunday, followed by the main Grand Prix at 6 p.m. UK time. Fans can watch the action live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a long‑term contract.
The Miami Grand Prix promises to be a pivotal race in the 2026 season, potentially reshaping the championship narrative as the leading teams battle for supremacy under ever‑changing conditions.