Championship leader Kimi Antonelli bounced back from a troubled sprint to storm to pole position for Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix, underlining his title credentials with a third successive pole.
Qualifying Results
The 19-year-old Mercedes driver continued the team’s lockout of full qualifying poles this season, with only Lando Norris’ sprint pole on Friday breaking their grip. Despite concerns that Mercedes’ dominance was under threat from rivals’ new packages, Antonelli delivered a stunning lap.
Max Verstappen, enduring a difficult start to the season, burst into life to claim second, 0.166 seconds adrift. Charles Leclerc took third for Ferrari ahead of Norris in fourth.
Antonelli has won the last two races and leads the standings ahead of teammate George Russell. In the searing Miami heat, Antonelli again had the edge over his experienced teammate, who will start fifth, almost four-tenths off the pace. Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri line up sixth and seventh respectively.
Sprint Race Recap
Earlier, Norris clinched his first victory of the season with a comfortable win in the 19-lap sprint, finishing almost four-tenths clear of Piastri. Antonelli had a difficult time, dropping from second to fourth due to a “glitch” at the start, then receiving a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, dropping him to sixth. Former world champion Jenson Button labelled it a “silly mistake,” allowing Russell to cut the title lead to seven points.
Upgrades and Weather
McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull have brought major upgrades to Miami, slashing Mercedes’ advantage. Team principal Toto Wolff admitted Mercedes are “out of sync” on upgrades but expects improvements soon. The FIA issued a rain hazard declaration for Sunday’s race, with a 40% chance of rain and potential lightning, possibly moving the start time.
Antonelli will hope Mercedes have solved their start issues, with a resurgent Verstappen on his tail. The four-time world champion, unhappy with new regulations, sits ninth in the standings but showed his class to claim a front-row spot.
