Miami GP 2025
MAY 3, 2025
Qualifying Report - Verstappen snatches Miami pole from Norris
© Red Bull
Max Verstappen denied McLaren a pole position sweep by delivering a crucial final lap to secure top spot for the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver posted a 1m26.204s on his final Q3 attempt, just 0.065s quicker than Lando Norris, who had been threatening all weekend. Norris appeared on course to take pole before clattering over the inside kerb at the final corner, scrubbing just enough time to lose out.
The pole was Verstappen’s 43rd in Formula 1 and came after a largely conservative build-up through Q1 and Q2. His first Q3 effort of 1m26.492s had set the tone, but with track evolution playing a key role, the McLarens looked like they could pounce. However, both Norris and Oscar Piastri failed to improve significantly, opening the door for Verstappen to put the result beyond doubt.
Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli continued his rapid rise with an excellent third place, splitting the McLaren drivers by narrowly beating Piastri to the second row. George Russell slotted into fifth in the other Mercedes after a scrappy start to qualifying, ahead of the standout Williams duo of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was only eighth, failing to challenge for the front rows on a circuit where Ferrari lacked outright pace. Esteban Ocon gave Haas a rare Q3 appearance in ninth, while Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda completed the top 10.
In Q2, McLaren looked dominant as Piastri led Norris by two tenths. Russell sat in the drop zone before his second run, having admitted over team radio that he had no confidence in the car on used tyres. A strong final attempt lifted him comfortably through. Not so for Lewis Hamilton, who missed out on Q3 in his Ferrari by just 0.039s and will start 12th. Isack Hadjar was 11th, less than a tenth from advancing, while Gabriel Bortoleto claimed 13th for Sauber. Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson, the latter suffering from battery issues, rounded out the Q2 field.
The opening session, Q1, was filled with typical sprint-weekend chaos. Following earlier rain, the circuit gripped up rapidly, forcing drivers to time their final runs carefully. Verstappen led the session but didn’t need to run again, while Hamilton narrowly avoided elimination. Among those to miss out were Nico Hulkenberg in 16th and Fernando Alonso in 17th, despite a late repair job after his sprint crash. Pierre Gasly blamed traffic for 18th, with Lance Stroll and Oliver Bearman completing the bottom five.
With McLaren’s strong long-run pace and Mercedes showing signs of life, Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix is shaping up to be a tightly fought contest at the front — but once again, Verstappen starts from pole.