Antonelli takes pole in Miami qualifying thriller
Pole position goes to an outstanding Kimi Antonelli, but with four different cars occupying the top four positions, the Miami Grand Prix qualifying session confirmed just how close the current Formula 1 field has become. The looming threat of rain for the race adds yet another major variable to an already unpredictable weekend.
Signs of life in Miami
Formula 1 showed clear signs of intensity and unpredictability as the action resumed in Miami. Qualifying delivered uncertainty right up to Q3, with several different teams emerging as potential contenders at various stages of the session.
McLaren, dominant in the Sprint, did not shine as strongly as it had earlier in the weekend. The increased stiffness of the long-run race setup appears to have made the car slightly more difficult to manage, while strong winds also seemed to create noticeable aerodynamic imbalance.
The new aerodynamic package introduced by the Woking-based team is clearly working, but it still seems to lack the full stability and high-energy efficiency required to dominate across all conditions. In the end, Lando Norris had to settle for fourth place.
Kimi Antonelli delivers a brilliant performance
Mercedes returned to pole position, and for the third consecutive time it was Kimi Antonelli who delivered it. While the Brackley-based car is undoubtedly competitive, this pole position was heavily influenced by the Italian driver’s exceptional performance.
Antonelli was four-tenths faster than George Russell, who could only manage fifth on the grid. The young Italian completed just one timed attempt in Q3, but delivered a session that built up in confidence and execution, showing remarkable composure under pressure.
He also demonstrated the ability to deliver when it mattered most, putting together his best lap precisely in Q3. After securing pole, Antonelli appeared calm but slightly disappointed about missing an even better final attempt, rather than overly celebratory.
These are all signs of a driver growing in confidence and maturity, with Antonelli producing a genuinely outstanding lap that also delivered a significant blow to his teammate, as well as a key rival in the championship fight.
His journey is still long, and it will likely include a wet race and a demanding start, but starting from pole position is always the best possible foundation.
Verstappen back in the fight like in 2022
For the first time this season, however, Kimi Antonelli will not share the front row with George Russell, but instead with a resurgent Max Verstappen.
Red Bull’s updates are working, and the high temperatures made the session more selective in terms of tyre management and performance. The overall balance of the car has improved significantly, with a suspension setup that appeared softer than its rivals, helping especially in the slow sections of the circuit.
New energy deployment rules, combined with the characteristics of the Miami track, have once again placed emphasis on braking performance. Verstappen, alongside Charles Leclerc, immediately stood out in this area.
The impression is of a Verstappen who once again has a well-balanced car underneath him, allowing him to push to the limit even with less aerodynamic load compared to his competitors, similar to what he has often demonstrated throughout his career, and especially during the first half of 2022.
Ferrari solid but missing the extra gear
For Ferrari, Charles Leclerc remains the benchmark in every session. Data showed that the Monegasque driver struggled in the very slow sections throughout qualifying, but at the beginning of Q3 he once again produced one of his trademark “magic laps”, excelling both in the technical and high-speed sectors.
The car’s behaviour appeared more unpredictable, also reflected in Leclerc’s feedback, which aligns with a more rigid suspension setup used to compensate for fuel load in the long-run configuration.
Ferrari’s main issue, however, continues to be the Power Unit. Leclerc himself highlighted this gap when speaking about the competition:
“We arrive in Q3 and they have another gear, and we don’t have that extra gear… for now.”
The data clearly shows Leclerc needing to perform energy harvesting, similar to Verstappen, in the first sector, but without being able to recover enough energy to match rivals like the Dutchman.
From the same data, it also appears that Lando Norris may have poorly managed his energy usage on his final lap, suffering a noticeable drop in the second braking straight.
Wet race and major unknowns
For the race, the unknowns are enormous. Rain is now considered almost certain in Miami, although the exact timing of the start remains unclear.
Everything is still to be discovered, especially in terms of race pace and tyre behaviour. With four different cars in the top four positions, this is a scenario few would have predicted so early in the season, and it opens the door to multiple strategic possibilities.
Once again, the outcome is far from predictable, and that alone is very good news for Formula 1 fans heading into race day.
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