In the sprint qualifying session in Miami, Lando Norris showcased his skill in his upgraded McLaren, initially outpacing Max Verstappen in the middle segment. However, during the crucial SQ3, Norris lost ground to Verstappen, trailing by 0.8 seconds in the first sector alone.
Norris’s lap was marked by moments of oversteer at multiple turns, particularly in the opening sector around the Hard Rock Stadium. Despite improving throughout his final lap, Norris ended up 0.831 seconds behind Verstappen.
Reflecting on his performance, Norris attributed his setback to pushing too hard, resulting in several mistakes, particularly in Turn 1, which set off a chain reaction of errors. Despite the disappointment, Norris acknowledged the team’s efforts in upgrading the car, expressing confidence in his pace for the sprint race despite starting from ninth position.
Meanwhile, Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri, running with fewer upgrades, also found the session challenging. Piastri speculated on whether the track conditions had changed in SQ3 or if there was a miscalculation regarding tire performance. Despite feeling dissatisfied with his own lap, Piastri managed to secure sixth position on the grid, acknowledging Norris’s impressive performance in SQ2.
As the teams grappled with the intense heat in Miami, Piastri remained optimistic about tire degradation not posing a significant issue for McLaren in the sprint race. While acknowledging the tough conditions, he anticipated an exciting race with several cars potentially out of their usual positions, hinting at unpredictability due to inconsistent performances seen so far.
Both Norris and Piastri navigated the challenges of the sprint qualifying session in Miami, with Norris aiming to capitalize on his strong pace despite starting from ninth, and Piastri maintaining cautious optimism amid the demanding conditions, looking forward to an eventful race day.
