Max Verstappen has been performing well all weekend at the Miami Grand Prix, and he continued his success by taking pole position. His time of 1 minute and 27.241 seconds was just a little over a tenth faster than Charles Leclerc, who will start second, just like in the Sprint race.
Sergio Perez, a fan favorite in Miami, secured fourth place on the grid. However, Daniel Ricciardo, who was the talk of the paddock after the Sprint, had a tough time in qualifying. He was knocked out in Q1 and will start last due to a grid penalty. Ricciardo will need to work hard during the race to make his way up the field.
The McLarens, despite their upgrades, couldn’t challenge the Red Bulls or Ferraris for the top spots. They will start fifth and sixth on the grid, side by side. Nico Hulkenberg continued Haas’ strong performance with a ninth-place qualifying finish, but his teammate Kevin Magnussen didn’t fare as well, starting down in 19th. Magnussen’s aggressive driving during the Sprint race, especially his battle with Hamilton, has caught the attention of the stewards, which could result in further penalties.
Fernando Alonso had a below-average weekend so far, and it continued in qualifying with his teammate Lance Stroll outqualifying him. Florida native Logan Sargeant was also disappointed after being knocked out in Q1. His teammate Alex Albon managed to qualify in 14th place.
The race will take place tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET, where we will see if Verstappen can maintain his perfect record in Miami. Below are the full qualifying results:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
4. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
5. Lando Norris (McLaren)
6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
7. George Russell (Mercedes-AMG)
8. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-AMG)
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
10. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)
11. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
12. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
13. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
14. Alexander Albon (Williams)
15. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
16. Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber)
17. Logan Sargeant (Williams)
18. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
19. Zhou Guanyu (Kick Sauber)
20. Daniel Ricciardo (Racing Bulls)
