Max Verstappen produced a dominant display when it mattered most to claim pole position for the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, narrowly beating Lando Norris by just 0.065s in a hotly contested qualifying session.
Fresh from winning the Sprint race earlier on Saturday, Norris looked poised to challenge for a front-row lockout with McLaren, but Verstappen’s electric pace in the high-speed first sector proved decisive.
The Dutchman’s upgraded Red Bull, fitted with a new floor this weekend, found its sweet spot on the Miami International Autodrome’s sweeping curves, where rivals simply couldn’t match the RB21’s grip and stability.
Behind the leading duo, Kimi Antonelli impressed yet again, backing up his Sprint pole with third place in traditional qualifying. The 18-year-old Mercedes rookie continues to turn heads, outqualifying more seasoned competitors in only his sixth Grand Prix weekend.
Oscar Piastri took fourth in the second McLaren, narrowly behind his teammate but ahead of George Russell, who will line up fifth for Mercedes. The Williams duo also punched above their weight, with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon securing sixth and seventh respectively — another sign of solid progress from the Grove-based squad.
Ferrari, however, endured a difficult qualifying session. Charles Leclerc could manage only eighth place, while Lewis Hamilton suffered from balance issues and will start down in 12th, capping off a disappointing day for the Scuderia.
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Verstappen’s flying start makes the difference
The key to Verstappen’s pole lap in Miami was a scintillating run through the opening sector, where the Red Bull showed clear superiority through the flowing corners and rapid direction changes. Norris, though strong through the technical final part of the lap, couldn’t recover the lost time.
“Yeah it’s been a great Qualifying. We improved the car a tiny amount too. Q1, Q2, Q3 – just improving every run, trying to find the limit. It worked out well, I’m very happy to be on pole,” Verstappen said. “Race pace, I don’t know, we have to wait and see with the weather.”
With Sunday’s Grand Prix shaping up to be a showdown between Red Bull, McLaren, and an ever-improving Mercedes outfit, Verstappen’s position at the front may be more important than ever given Miami’s limited overtaking opportunities.
