Norris on Miami sprint pole as McLaren return to form
Lando Norris secured pole position for the Miami sprint race, marking McLaren's return to form with a strong performance. He edged out Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli by 0.222 seconds, with teammate Oscar Piastri third. The result suggests increased competition for Mercedes, who have dominated qualifying so far this season.
- ▪Lando Norris claimed his first pole since Las Vegas 2025, ending Mercedes' streak of pole positions this season.
- ▪McLaren introduced a major upgrade package, similar to their 2024 Miami approach, which previously turned around Norris' season.
- ▪Kimi Antonelli finished second despite Mercedes struggling with heat-related performance issues, while George Russell qualified sixth, 0.4 seconds behind his teammate.
- ▪Red Bull and Ferrari also brought significant upgrades, with Max Verstappen qualifying fifth, 0.592 seconds off pole.
- ▪Norris cited improved rear grip and comfort from the upgrades, highlighting Turn 16 as the only mistake in his qualifying lap.
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Norris on Miami sprint pole as McLaren return to formImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Lando Norris won his first F1 race in Miami two years agoByAndrew BensonF1 Correspondent in MiamiPublished1 May 2026, 22:30 BSTUpdated 12 minutes agoMcLaren's Lando Norris became the first driver to beat a Mercedes in qualifying this year with sprint pole at the Miami Grand Prix.The world champion beat championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 0.222 seconds with the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri third fastest.Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth, ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Mercedes' George Russell.Lewis Hamilton was seventh in the second Ferrari, ahead of Argentine Franco Colapinto in the Alpine.McLaren brought a major upgrade package to this race - along with most other teams, but not…
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