F1 - Verstappen Snaps Miami Pole Position Ahead of McLarens and Antonelli

The qualifying session for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix delivered a thrilling spectacle, culminating in Max Verstappen snatching pole position with a sensational final lap in Q3. The Red Bull Racing driver overcame strong challenges from McLaren, with Lando Norris ultimately taking second place. Mercedes’ teenage sensation, Kimi Antonelli, continued to impress, securing third on the grid ahead of championship leader Oscar Piastri of McLaren.

Q1 saw an early flurry of activity, with Verstappen initially setting the pace before Piastri briefly took the lead. Antonelli then lowered the benchmark, but Verstappen responded with a blistering lap to reclaim P1. Norris managed to slot himself into second place, edging out his McLaren teammate Piastri. The first qualifying session concluded with Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), and Ollie Bearman (Haas F1 Team) being eliminated.

Verstappen again led the way at the start of Q2, setting a strong initial lap time. However, the McLarens once again proved their pace, with Piastri taking the top spot and Norris slotting into second. Antonelli continued his strong performance, placing his Mercedes in third. George Russell, who had been down in P11 after the first runs, managed a significant improvement to climb to third, pushing Antonelli to fourth and Verstappen to fifth. Missing out on a place in the top ten shootout were Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), Jack Doohan (Alpine), and Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls).

The final and decisive Q3 session began with Verstappen laying down a marker, taking provisional pole position by a mere three-thousandths of a second ahead of Norris, with Piastri just a further fourteen-thousandths behind. Despite Piastri having shown superior pace to Verstappen in Q2, the final runs saw a dramatic turn. Verstappen, despite a minor error at Turn 1, managed to pull out an extraordinary lap, crossing the finish line in 1:26.204. Norris, who looked set to challenge, suffered a lock-up at Turn 17, effectively sealing Verstappen’s 43rd career pole position. Antonelli secured a commendable third place, followed by Piastri and Russell. Carlos Sainz took sixth for Williams, ahead of his teammate Alexander Albon, with Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Esteban Ocon (Haas F1 Team), and Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull Racing) completing the top ten.

Qualifying Results: