kimi antonelli stuns with pole as verstappen closes gap
Miami, zaterdag, 2 mei 2026.
Debuutcoureur Kimi Antonelli start vanaf de eerste plek bij de Grand Prix van Miami. De 19-jarige Italiaan uit met de snelste ronde in de kwalificatie, net voor wereldkampioen Max Verstappen. Zijn tijd van 1:27.798 bleek genoeg om pole te pakken, ondanks een foutje op zijn laatste poging. Antonelli is nu de enige coureur naast Ayrton Senna en Michael Schumacher met drie opeenvolgende poles in zijn loopbaan. Verstappen, langzaam in de sprint, reageerde positief op de nieuwe updates van Red Bull. “Ik voel me weer in controle”, zei hij. McLaren-verrassing van gisteren verdween door hitte en instellingen. De hoofdrace begint morgen om 21:00 MES. Regen mogelijk.
antonelli claims stunning pole in miami
Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the 2026 Miami Grand Prix with a lap time of 1:27.798, narrowly edging out Max Verstappen by 0.166 seconds [1]. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver achieved the feat despite a mistake on his final qualifying lap, leaving him anxiously awaiting results [1]. Antonelli becomes the only driver alongside Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher to achieve three consecutive pole positions in their career [2]. His performance marked a strong recovery from a disrupted sprint race earlier in the day [1].
verstappen praises red bull upgrades
Max Verstappen expressed satisfaction with Red Bull’s technical developments following a significant improvement in car handling [1]. “I feel in more control, the upgrades are working … I am already very happy with where we are,” Verstappen stated [2]. Earlier in the season, the Dutch driver described feeling like a “total passenger” due to unpredictable car behavior involving understeer and sudden snaps [1]. The aerodynamic and mechanical adjustments implemented for Miami reduced his deficit from over a second to less than two-tenths behind pole position [1].
mclaren regresses amid changing conditions
McLaren struggled during qualifying despite winning the sprint race with Lando Norris [2]. Temperatures rose significantly compared to Friday, altering grip levels and vehicle dynamics across the circuit [2]. Team principal Zak Brown identified a boost issue affecting Norris’s engine performance [2]. “It was not wind, but a boost problem, that was hurting Norris,” Brown explained [2]. As a result, Norris ended up 0.385 seconds behind pole, failing to replicate Saturday morning success [2].
tight battle among top contenders
The top ten qualifiers were separated by less than half a second, highlighting intense competition [2]. Charles Leclerc claimed third place for Ferrari with a time of 1:28.143, just 0.040 seconds ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz who missed Q3 [2]. George Russell followed closely in fifth, representing Mercedes alongside pole-sitter Antonelli [2]. The compact timing spread—only 0.06 seconds between P3 and P5—underscores the narrow margins defining modern Formula 1 performance [2].
race preview and weather concerns
The main event is scheduled for Sunday, May 3rd at 4:00 PM local time (9:00 PM BST) [2]. Rain remains a potential factor according to driver assessments, complicating strategic planning [2]. Charles Leclerc noted pre-session observations suggesting wet conditions may develop, though timing and intensity remain uncertain [2]. Teams face decisions regarding tire selection and pit strategies depending on evolving meteorological data prior to lights-out [2].