Verstappen Qualifies Second In Miami As Antonelli Takes Pole In 2026

Max Verstappen will start Sunday's Miami Grand Prix from an unexpected front-row slot, after qualifying second behind Kimi Antonelli. Verstappen, who had not finished higher than sixth in any 2026 race, benefited from a major Red Bull upgrade that transformed performance across the Miami weekend.

Antonelli secured pole once more and strengthened the position as Formula One drivers' championship leader entering the Miami round. The Mercedes driver recovered well after a time penalty damaged the Sprint race hopes, and responded by delivering another dominant qualifying display on the streets around Hard Rock Stadium.

Red Bull introduced a significant development package for Miami, after Verstappen recently hinted at quitting Formula One due to regulation changes. Verstappen felt the new-spec car immediately, saying: "There's light at the end of the tunnel. It's an incredible turnaround for us, Verstappen told Sky Sports. I really didn't feel in control of the car up until this weekend. I didn't know what would happen with it. The team have brought a really good performance upgrade to the car. They made it more driveable for me, and it really clicked as soon as I jumped in the car here. It felt great, or a lot better. For us, to be on the front row is a bit of a surprise but we'll take it. It's a massive boost for the whole team and we are heading in the right direction."

Mercedes enjoyed another strong Miami Grand Prix qualifying session, with Antonelli delivering pole for the third time in four 2026 races. Antonelli lapped 0.399 seconds quicker than team-mate George Russell, who managed only fifth place and left performance on the table in the final Q3 runs.

Antonelli's Miami Grand Prix qualifying result carried extra significance for Italian motorsport history. By taking a third straight pole, Antonelli became the first Italian to manage three consecutive poles since Riccardo Patrese in 1991, when Patrese led qualifying in Canada and France during that season.

The Miami Grand Prix qualifying performance added to Antonelli's rapid rise, following the Japanese Grand Prix victory in March. That Suzuka win made Antonelli the youngest driver to lead the championship, at 19 years and 216 days. Confidence grew further in Miami despite the earlier Sprint setback and the time penalty.

Antonelli admitted that qualifying contained some tense moments, especially in the closing stages of Q3. "It's been an amazing day to be on pole again. It was a difficult start with the Sprint when it didn't go our way, but we're super happy with the recovery," Antonelli said. "I got a bit excited with the last lap in Q3, but the first lap was good enough and I'm really happy with that."

Behind the front-row pairing from Miami Grand Prix qualifying, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will line up third on the grid. McLaren driver Lando Norris, who won Saturday's Sprint race, will start directly behind Antonelli and Verstappen in fourth place, aiming to carry Sprint momentum into the main grand prix.

Russell's fifth place completed a mixed Miami Grand Prix qualifying outcome for Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton taking sixth. McLaren's Oscar Piastri secured seventh on the grid. The leading pack therefore features both Mercedes cars, both McLarens, Verstappen's Red Bull and Leclerc's Ferrari in a closely matched group.

Organisers adjusted the schedule in response to weather risks, moving Sunday's Miami Grand Prix start time forward by three hours. The race is now due to begin at 13:00 local time, with thunderstorms forecast later in the afternoon, which could influence strategy and tyre choices for teams across the grid.