Max Verstappen of Red Bull secured pole position for the sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix by outpacing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.108 seconds.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez clinched the third spot, while Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull surprised everyone by claiming fourth place.
Lando Norris from McLaren missed a chance to challenge Verstappen for pole due to a slow first sector in his final lap.
In a surprising turn, Mercedes’ George Russell and Lewis Hamilton could only manage 11th and 12th places, respectively.
Carlos Sainz of Ferrari took fifth place, followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Norris, and Nico Hulkenberg of Haas.
Norris, who had been fastest in the first and second parts of qualifying, expressed disappointment with his performance, citing errors that cost him a better position despite McLaren’s significant car upgrade.
Verstappen, although surprised by his pole position, acknowledged the challenges he faced with the car’s performance during qualifying but managed to secure the top spot.
Leclerc’s impressive performance came after a challenging day that included a spin during practice, which left him with minimal track time. He felt he had answered recent criticisms about his qualifying performances.
Mercedes, despite their upgrades, struggled for pace, with Hamilton noting the gap in performance compared to their competitors. Russell emphasized the need to address their qualifying issues ahead of the main race.
