Lando Norris ended Mercedes' run of qualifying poles in 2026 by topping sprint qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix. His 1:27.869 was two tenths clear of championship leader Kimi Antonelli and the first sign that McLaren's upgrade package, seven new parts brought over the five-week break, has closed the gap.
Miami Sprint qualifying results
|
Pos |
Driver |
Team |
Time |
Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Lando Norris |
McLaren |
1:27.869 |
|
|
2 |
Kimi Antonelli |
Mercedes |
1:28.091 |
+0.222 |
|
3 |
Oscar Piastri |
McLaren |
1:28.108 |
+0.239 |
|
4 |
Charles Leclerc |
Ferrari |
1:28.239 |
+0.370 |
|
5 |
Max Verstappen |
Red Bull |
1:28.461 |
+0.592 |
|
6 |
George Russell |
Mercedes |
1:28.493 |
+0.624 |
|
7 |
Lewis Hamilton |
Ferrari |
1:28.618 |
+0.749 |
|
8 |
Franco Colapinto |
Alpine |
1:29.320 |
+1.451 |
|
9 |
Isack Hadjar |
Red Bull |
1:29.422 |
+1.553 |
|
10 |
Pierre Gasly |
Alpine |
1:29.474 |
+1.605 |
|
11 |
Gabriel Bortoleto |
Audi |
1:29.994 |
+2.125 |
|
12 |
Nico Hulkenberg |
Audi |
1:30.019 |
+2.150 |
|
13 |
Ollie Bearman |
Haas |
1:30.116 |
+2.247 |
|
14 |
Carlos Sainz |
Williams |
1:30.224 |
+2.355 |
|
15 |
Arvid Lindblad |
Racing Bulls |
1:30.573 |
+2.704 |
|
16 |
Liam Lawson |
Racing Bulls |
1:31.043 |
+3.174 |
|
17 |
Esteban Ocon |
Haas |
1:31.245 |
+3.376 |
|
18 |
Sergio Perez |
Cadillac |
1:31.255 |
+3.386 |
|
19 |
Alex Albon |
Williams |
1:30.216 |
+2.347 |
|
20 |
Valtteri Bottas |
Cadillac |
1:31.826 |
+3.957 |
|
21 |
Fernando Alonso |
Aston Martin |
1:41.311 |
+13.442 |
|
22 |
Lance Stroll |
Aston Martin |
No time |
|
Albon originally qualified 14th but was demoted to 19th after a post-session track limits penalty. Grid positions above reflect the adjusted sprint starting order.
How McLaren's upgrades changed the order
Nobody went out in SQ3 until the halfway mark. When they did, it became a single-lap shootout in 30-degree heat, and Norris was the one who nailed it.
Mercedes had looked untouchable in qualifying trim through the first three rounds. That changed here. Antonelli still managed to split the two McLarens with a strong second sector, but Russell was six tenths off Norris in sixth, and the gap to the front was clear.
Ferrari brought the most upgrades of anyone, eleven in total, and Leclerc had been quickest in practice on medium tyres. The switch to softs in SQ3 did not go as cleanly. A mistake at Turn 11 cost him, and he ended up fourth, three tenths behind Norris. Hamilton had an even rougher time, a slide at Turn 17 dropping him to seventh.
Verstappen slotted into fifth, over half a second off pole but comfortably Red Bull's best result of the season so far.
Albon penalised after FIA missed a track limits breach
The strangest moment of the session came after it had finished. Alex Albon made it through to SQ2 on his final SQ1 lap, but that lap included a track limits breach at Turn 6 that the FIA did not catch in real time.
Racing Bulls flagged the infringement. Liam Lawson, who had been eliminated in 17th, climbed back into his car during SQ2 on the assumption that Albon's time would be deleted and a place would open up. No decision came during the session.
The stewards confirmed the breach afterwards, deleted Albon's SQ1 lap and all his SQ2 times, and dropped him from 14th to 19th on the sprint grid. Lawson moves up to 16th.
Further back, Aston Martin needed stewards' permission to start the sprint after neither car set a representative time. Stroll stopped on track with a flatspot and did not return. Alonso's only lap was 13 seconds off the pace. Both were cleared to race on the basis of their practice times.
