Miami GP qualifying sees the triumph of a superb max Verstappen. Antonelli in the top 3 again, while Ferrari struggles: Hamilton out in Q3
Red Bull sorted itself out for the Miami GP qualifying, and Max Verstappen claimed yet another pole position this year. He was followed by Norris, just 65 thousandths behind, and Antonelli just 67 behind. Ferrari had a tough time: Charles Leclerc only eighth, while Lewis Hamilton didn’t make it to Q3 and will start from P12.
Q1
After his crash before the Sprint race, Charles Leclerc was back to fight for grid position for Sunday’s GP. The sun returned timidly in Miami, allowing the drivers to push.
While Max Verstappen and the two McLaren MCL39 cars started trading fast laps on used soft tyres, the two Mercedes did just one reconnaissance lap before heading back to the pits for fresh tyres.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc started seven-tenths and one second off Piastri respectively. Their second laps weren’t convincing either: Charles Leclerc was P9 and Lewis Hamilton P15 after a lock-up in sector 3. Other top teams saw Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, and Kimi Antonelli battling at the top, while their teammates were further behind. At the end of Q1, Verstappen was the fastest, followed by the two McLarens. Ferrari just barely made the cut in P8 and P12.
Strong runs for Bortoleto, Doohan, and the two RB drivers. The eliminated drivers:
Hulkenberg
Alonso
Gasly
Stroll
Bearman
Q2
Verstappen kicked off Q2 with a time close to Antonelli’s Friday pole. But the McLarens stepped it up: 1:26.269 for Piastri, setting a new track record, followed by Norris two tenths behind and Antonelli three tenths back. The Williams drivers also did well, placing ahead of the Ferraris—Leclerc in P7 and Hamilton in P8.
George Russell had trouble, complaining of no grip and ending his first attempt in P11. Everyone went out again for a second attempt except Oscar Piastri, who had posted a superb lap.
The first shock of the session: Lewis Hamilton didn’t make it to Q3, paying the price for an error in the final sector. Charles Leclerc just scraped through in P8, while Russell recovered to P3 despite earlier difficulties. Ahead of him were the two McLarens. Eliminated drivers:
Hadjar
Hamilton
Bortoleto
Doohan
Lawson
Q3
The final stage of qualifying was all about Verstappen vs McLaren. The Dutchman took provisional pole by just three thousandths over Norris (who had a lock-up), and 17 thousandths over Piastri. Antonelli was the closest challenger, two tenths behind.
Russell locked up and ended in P6. Charles Leclerc ran wide in Turn 17 and returned straight to the pits. On the final runs, Max Verstappen delivered a flawless lap to take pole by just 65 thousandths over Norris, who made another small mistake. Kimi Antonelli completed the top 3, just two thousandths behind the Briton. Charles Leclerc couldn’t improve with this Ferrari and finished eighth.
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