F1 Miami GP: Lando Norris beats Kimi Antonelli to sprint race pole with upgraded McLaren
Motorsport.com • • sports
Key Points:
- Lando Norris secured pole position in sprint qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix, outperforming championship leader Kimi Antonelli in an upgraded McLaren car, marking the first defeat for Mercedes this season.
- The session featured a new mid-season rules adjustment aimed at reducing energy management constraints, though the Miami circuit's stop-start nature limited assessment of its effectiveness.
- Several teams, including Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull, introduced significant upgrades after a month-long break, while Mercedes delayed their updates, resulting in a slower qualifying performance.
- Norris led all three qualifying segments, culminating in a 1m27.869s lap in SQ3, with Antonelli second and Oscar Piastri third; notable performances included Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
- The 19-lap sprint race is scheduled for Saturday noon local time, followed by the grand prix qualifying session at 4pm.
