Norris takes sprint pole position in Miami ahead of Antonelli and Piastri

Lando Norris took pole position for the second sprint of the season in Miami, ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri making up the front three.

Credit: Formula One

Formula One has returned for the fifth-ever Miami Grand Prix this weekend after a five-week break in the calendar. Following an extended 90-minute practice due to regulation refinements, the season’s second sprint qualifying session took place today in The Magic City.

By the end of SQ3, Norris managed to take pole position ahead of the sprint race tomorrow with a final lap time of 1:27:869. He outpaced Antonelli in second and Piastri in third.

SQ1 

The session began with no drivers ready to leave their garage. They all eventually began to line up with Valtteri Bottas first out onto the track.

A yellow flag is brought out half way into SQ1 with Lance Stroll being stranded on the track after locking up. The yellow flag was quickly lifted as he got going again, but Norris' flying lap was affected by the hazard. Stroll managed to make it back to the pits and wasn't able to continue for the rest of SQ1, placing him last on the grid for tomorrow's sprint race.

Charles Leclerc soon managed to set the fastest lap with 1:29:290 after also topping the practice session earlier in the day. It didn't take long for the reigning champion, Norris, to make his way up to the top of the timings after a lap time of 1:28:723. Piastri also moved up but was half a second slower than his teammate placing him in second. Isack Hadjar was slowly moving down the order, but managed to bring it back and move into ninth and move onto SQ2. With only a few seconds to go, Lawson got his first time on the board and moved out of the elimination zone. However, Alex Albon just managed to push Lawson back out of the top 16 by only 0.055 seconds.

SQ1 Eliminations

17. Liam Lawson

18. Esteban Ocon

19. Sergio Pérez

20. Valtteri Bottas

21. Fernando Alonso

22. Lance Stroll

SQ2

SQ2 then got underway with championship leader Antonelli first to make a flying lap. However, he was quickly pipped by his teammate George Russell who had a time of 1:28:903.

Verstappen had a quick lap too, taking second from Antonelli. Leclerc yet again made his way to the top of the sheet with 1:28:470. There was even more shuffles to the order in quick succession. Piastri and Lewis Hamilton had times moving them into second and third respectively. Norris had a slower lap when making a mistake in the middle sector and sliding off the chicane at Turn 14 and 15. He managed to keep it within the white lines without exceeding track limits. Arvid Lindblad and Bearman made their way onto the track after waiting in the pits for a majority of the session. Unfortunately, neither were able to move into the top 10. Down to the last stretch of SQ2, Bortoleto tried his best to make it out of the bottom six but wasn't successful and stayed in eleventh place.

Both Williams drivers were unable to make it into the top 10, with Sainz unhappy over the team radio following SQ2, claiming that they are "three steps behind where we should be, every lap."

SQ2 Eliminations

11. Gabriel Bortoleto

12 Nico Hülkenberg

13 Oliver Bearman

14 Alex Albon

15 Carlos Sainz

16 Arivd Lindblad

SQ3

It was then time for the remaining 10 drivers to decide what order they will line up on the grid for tomorrow's sprint. No drivers were in a rush to get out onto the track for the green light.

With under five minutes to go, they started to move out onto the track of the Miami International Autodrome. Russell was first to set a time in SQ3, but it was evident he would not top the board as Hamilton and Norris immediately began setting quicker sector times. Norris set a time of 1:27:869, which was fastest of the entire session so far. Leclerc and Verstappen moved up into second and third respectively, but by the end of SQ3, Piastri managed to move up to the first row with his teammate.

Antonelli left his lap to the last minute, setting a fastest time in the second sector. He was on pole for the Miami sprint race last year, but was only able take Piastri's place in the front row next to Norris.

Norris claimed his fifth-ever sprint pole ahead of tomorrow's race. He will look to replicate his win last year where he started third.

Sprint Race Starting Grid

1. Lando Norris

2. Kimi Antonelli

3. Oscar Piastri

4. Charles Leclerc

5. Max Verstappen

6. George Russell

7. Lewis Hamilton

8. Franco Colapinto

9. Isack Hadjar

10. Pierre Gasly

11. Gabriel Bortoleto

12 Nico Hülkenberg

13 Oliver Bearman

14 Alex Albon

15 Carlos Sainz

16 Arivd Lindblad

17. Liam Lawson

18. Esteban Ocon

19. Sergio Pérez

20. Valtteri Bottas

21. Fernando Alonso

22. Lance Stroll