Formula 1’s second Sprint of the season set the stage for an intensely competitive qualifying session in Miami, where Max Verstappen continued his dominance by claiming yet another pole position.
Q1
As the qualifying kicked off, the drivers were quick to line up at the pit exit, waiting for the green light.
The session started with Esteban Ocon leading the pack onto the track.
A notable moment early in the session involved Daniel Ricciardo and Zhou Guanyu; Ricciardo had to adjust his exit as Zhou pulled out into his path.
Carlos Sainz quickly set the pace with a lap time of 1:28.159, initially taking the lead.
Charles Leclerc was hot on his heels, just 0.024 seconds slower.
Verstappen, despite reporting a clutch issue that made the car sound concerning, surprisingly managed to top the session with a lap of 1:28.023, displacing Sainz.
Sergio Perez secured the third-fastest time, placing another Red Bull at the front.
The session saw Logan Sargeant, a driver in his home race, face issues as he had to abort his first fast lap and only set a significant time later on fresh softs.
Zhou Guanyu of Sauber rounded out the standings in 20th place, but he will move up to 19th on the starting grid, benefiting from Ricciardo’s penalty.
OUT: Zhou, Magnussen, Sargeant, Ricciardo and Bottas
Q2
Q2 saw strategic manoeuvres as teams aimed to secure a top 10 position for Q3.
Yuki Tsunoda set an early benchmark with a time of 1:28.223, which was soon beaten by Verstappen’s 1:27 range time.
However, the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, benefiting from their car’s upgrade, managed to momentarily push Verstappen down to third before the Ferrari drivers completed their laps.
Leclerc moved into P1, followed by Sainz in P4, showcasing Ferrari’s strength this season.
Lewis Hamilton also made a strong comeback by setting the second-fastest time by the end of Q2, just behind Verstappen who managed to reclaim P2 on fresh tyres.
The session ended with notable eliminations including Fernando Alonso, marking Alonso’s first failure to reach Q3 this season.
OUT: Stroll, Gasly, Alonso
Q3
The final session of the qualifying saw Norris sticking to medium tyres, which he felt confident would reach optimal temperature more quickly.
Verstappen remained imperious, setting a blazing lap of 1:27.241 to secure the provisional pole.
The Ferraris split the Red Bulls with Leclerc in P2 and Sainz in P3, while Perez could only manage P4.
Meanwhile, Nico Hulkenberg opened the session with a somewhat slower lap, recording a 1:29.104, which initially placed him at the bottom of the Q3 timesheets.
Hamilton and Russell, having to settle for medium tyres due to a lack of available new softs, finished the session in eighth and seventh respectively, a rare instance of Hamilton being out-qualified by his teammate under such circumstances.
Verstappen’s pole position solidified his status as the season’s dominant force, marking a historical moment reminiscent of Alain Prost’s 1993 record.
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