Miami Grand Prix: McLaren upgrade magic as Lando Norris strikes; Russell struggles

Lando Norris put himself and McLaren on pole position for the Sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix.

Seemingly getting its upgrades spot on again, McLaren returned to the P1 grid slot via Norris’ 1:27.869, as Kimi Antonelli rallied to deny McLaren a one-two, ensuring his and Mercedes’ spot on the front row. George Russell managed P6 only.

Lando Norris puts McLaren back on pole

Charles Leclerc topped the sole, 90-minute Miami practice session in the upgraded Ferrari, from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

However, neither Leclerc nor Lewis Hamilton got a fully clean lap in on the soft tyres, leaving potential margin for gain in Sprint qualifying.

George Russell, meanwhile, was left doing steam train impressions, as he called out strange noises from his Mercedes turbo. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli did not get out for a soft tyre run, owing to a Mercedes PU issue.

Cars flooded out of the pit lane as SQ1 got underway. Medium tyres were mandated for SQ1 and SQ2, as is standard under Sprint qualifying rules, before an enforced move to softs in SQ3.

Lance Stroll triggered an early yellow flag as he locked up heavy into the Turn 16 run-off, before getting going again.

Leclerc hit the front, clocking a 1:29.290, as Antonelli slotted into second, 0.022s behind.

Stroll’s off compromised the first McLaren laps, but Norris soon put that right with a statement 1:28.723, placing him four tenths up on Oscar Piastri, in a McLaren one-two.

Stroll was back in the garage and out of the car, confirming his elimination.

Leclerc would bounce back to split the McLarens, while Russell was struggling, nine tenths off the place.

Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson were out in SQ1.

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SQ2 began with another tricky traffic jam to navigate in the pit lane. Verstappen showed expert precision to thread his Red Bull between an Alpine and the pit wall.

As Leclerc went over four tenths clear of Russell – in a Ferrari SF-26 sporting an 11-part upgrade – it was starting to appear that Ferrari’s pace over Mercedes was legitimate.

Piastri went P2, while Norris would need to go after a major slide through the chicane saw him haemorrhage time.

Norris remained out of threat. Arvid Lindblad, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Oliver Bearman, Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto were out of Sprint qualifying.

As a Ferrari and McLaren shootout brewed, Mercedes’ 100 per cent pole record in F1 2026 appeared to be under serious threat.

But, it was time to find out how the switch to soft tyres for SQ3 would impact the pecking order.

With under five minutes to go, the pit lane burst back into life, for what was going to be a one-lap SQ3 shootout.

Russell set a 1:28.493 to chase. It was not enough.

It was Sprint pole for Norris, while Antonelli ensured Mercedes’ spot on the front row.

Once again, McLaren appeared to have done the business with its upgrades.

SQ3 results

1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:27.869
2 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.222
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.239
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.370
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.592
6 George Russell Mercedes +0.624
7 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.749
8 Franco Colapinto Alpine +1.451
9 Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing +1.553
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.605

SQ2 results

1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:28.333
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.173
3 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.508
4 George Russell Mercedes +0.570
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.760
6 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.876
7 Lando Norris McLaren +1.033
8 Franco Colapinto Alpine +1.194
9 Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing +1.417
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.640
11 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +1.661
12 Nico Hulkenberg Audi +1.686
13 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +1.783
14 Alexander Albon Williams +1.883
15 Carlos Sainz Williams +1.891
16 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +2.240

SQ1 results

1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:28.723
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.010
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.446
4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.532
5 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.589
6 George Russell Mercedes +0.936
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +1.078
8 Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.261
9 Nico Hulkenberg Audi +1.547
10 Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing +1.629
11 Franco Colapinto Alpine +1.663
12 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +1.838
13 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +1.891
14 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +2.149
15 Carlos Sainz Williams +2.264
16 Alexander Albon Williams +2.265
17 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +2.320
18 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +2.522
19 Sergio Perez Cadillac +2.532
20 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac +3.103
21 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +12.588 (fastest time deleted)
22 Lance Stroll Aston Martin No time

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