Kimi Antonelli’s impressive recovery from a difficult sprint to secure pole position highlights the competitive nature of the Miami Grand Prix. On Saturday, Antonelli clocked a remarkable time of 1:27.798, edging out other top contenders.
Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull Racing, qualified second after facing a penalty that demoted him from fourth to sixth in the sprint earlier in the day. “The car has not been at its best in the previous races but also from my side I never felt comfortable with the layout of the car,” he explained.
The Miami Grand Prix is part of the 2026 Formula 1 season and is set to take place on Sunday, May 3. With major upgrades to his car, Verstappen expressed feeling more in control during qualifying. He stated, “I’m hoping that we can change a lot,” indicating optimism for the race.
Other notable qualifiers included Charles Leclerc in third, just 0.176 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who finished sixth after a challenging sprint where he placed seventh. Isack Hadjar rounded out the top ten, qualifying ninth and finishing 0.825 seconds behind Verstappen.
Kimi Antonelli’s achievement is particularly noteworthy as he becomes the first driver since legends Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher to claim three consecutive GP poles. His confidence was palpable as he remarked, “It has been an amazing day to be on pole again.”
The stage is set for an exciting race in Miami as teams prepare for what could be a thrilling showdown on Sunday.
