F1 Miami GP: Antonelli holds off Verstappen for third straight pole

Formula 1 world championship leader Kimi Antonelli has claimed a third successive pole at the Miami Grand Prix, holding off Max Verstappen at the Miami International Autodrome.

Antonelli's first effort in Q3 was enough to keep his rivals at arm's length, with Verstappen's final effort yielding him second ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

The session got underway at 4pm local Miami time in sweltering conditions, with ambient temperatures of 34C and track temperatures well into the 50s. Verstappen led the early running in Q1 ahead of Antonelli, Norris and the two Ferraris, before Antonelli took command with a 1m28.653s lap.

At the bottom of the order, the usual suspects Aston Martin and Cadillac soon proved out of touch with the rest of F1's midfield. There was also trouble for Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto, who after a delayed start ran into fiery power unit issues, leaving him stranded on the side of the road. It was the second issue in as many sessions after team-mate Nico Hulkenberg didn't make the start of Saturday's sprint race.

With six elimination spots in Q1, that meant just one other runner would be dumped out, with Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad occupying 17th after the first salvo of runs. Lindblad would stay there, which ended up giving McLaren's Oscar Piastri a reprieve. Donning used tyres for his final run, Piastri suffered from a poor first sector that meant he was unable to improve, leaving him on the bubble in 16th.

Antonelli initially led Hamilton in Q2, with Norris now the McLaren driver finding himself in a spot of trouble. Norris aborted his first run after going off the track at Turn 6 but found enough time to take seventh, half a second up on the P10 cutoff.

As Verstappen claimed the lead with a 1m28.116s, both Alpines advanced to Q3 at the top of F1's midfield, with Franco Colapinto again ahead of Pierre Gasly as he was in sprint qualifying. It was the Argentine's first Q3 appearance since Azerbaijan 2024 and his first for Alpine.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Nico Hulkenberg was eliminated in 11th by a significant four-tenth margin, followed out the door by Racing Bulls man Liam Lawson. The four cars from Haas and Williams were also eliminated.

In the deciding top-10 shootout Antonelli drew first blood by firing in a 1m27.798s early doors, the first lap that improved on Norris' sprint pole from Friday. Courtesy of a scorching first sector, that effort was three tenths up on Leclerc and Verstappen. They were followed by Norris and Russell, with just half a tenth separating positions two to five.

Antonelli was one of several drivers who failed to improve on the second attempt, but his first effort was easily good enough to claim his third successive grand prix pole. Verstappen came closest on his final flyer to leapfrog Leclerc into second, underlining Red Bull's progress in Miami after a troubled start to 2026.

Behind Leclerc, sprint race winner Norris beat Russell to the second row in fourth and fifth respectively, with Hamilton sixth. Piastri was a subdued seventh in the second McLaren, while Colapinto grabbed his best-ever qualifying result in eight. Hadjar and Gasly rounded out the top 10.

The start of the Miami Grand Prix is planned for 4pm local time on Sunday, although the threat of incoming thunderstorms could still scupper plans to start the race at the original time.

F1 Miami GP - Qualifying results 1