Lando Norris claimed pole position for the Miami Grand Prix sprint race, marking the first time this season that a Mercedes driver has not topped the timesheets in either qualifying format. The McLaren driver outpaced Kimi Antonelli by two-tenths of a second, with his teammate Oscar Piastri securing third place.
The result ends Mercedes' unbeaten run in 2025, with the team having won all previous races. However, the Silver Arrows have not brought a major upgrade package to Florida, while rivals Ferrari and McLaren have introduced significant developments aimed at closing the gap.
Norris expressed confidence in McLaren's upgrades, noting the team's strong track record in Miami. "This track has always been good to us but we knew that what we were bringing into it would be a good step," he said.
The sprint qualifying session was the first competitive running of the weekend, with Formula One returning after a five-week break caused by the cancellation of races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain due to the war in the Middle East. Teams used the hiatus to assess their cars and implement upgrades under this season's new regulations.
Meanwhile, fears of lightning storms on Sunday could force a schedule change for the main race, which is due to start at 4pm local time. The FIA is monitoring the situation closely; protocol requires stopping events if lightning strikes within an eight-mile radius. If rain arrives, it would be the first wet-weather test for the current generation of cars.
