MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – If Sunday’s Formula 1 Crypto.com Grand Prix of Miami is nearly as competitive as Saturday’s qualifying session for the race, South Florida fans are in for a high-speed treat.
Reigning F1 championship leader, 19-year old Italian Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position for Sunday’s race, his Mercedes edging Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen by a slight .166-second to earn his third consecutive pole. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third fastest.
“It’s been an amazing day to be on pole again,’’ said Antonelli who set fast lap time of 1:27.798 on his first attempt in the final session around the 3.363-mile, 19-turn Miami International Autodrome.
“Super happy with the recovery,’’ he noted after a penalty in Saturday’s Sprint Race dropped him from fourth to sixth place in those standing. “It was a good quali. Obviously got a little bit too excited on last lap of Q3, but the first lap was good enough. Really happy with that.
“Hopefully the magic one [start] will happen tomorrow – it would be nice to not lose any positions, but we will do our best,’’ Antonelli added with a grin.
The two-time Miami race winner Verstappen turned in a flying lap in the closing minute of the 12-minute final session – his attempt to unseat the young Italian missing by that fraction of a second. However that front row start is a welcome shift in competitive spirit for the four-time world champion, who has yet to earn a top-five finish through three grand prix starts in the early portion of the 2026 season.
“For me, it’s been two things, for sure the car has not been great and also from my side I never felt comfortable with the layout of the car,’’ Verstappen said. “I think over the past two weeks the team has been pushing flat out to bring upgrades to the car and making me feel more comfortable with a lot of things in the car and it really pays off.
“I feel more in control of the car again and then I can push a little more. To be on the front row is way better than I expected heading into this weekend.
“Let’s first start with a good start, I’ve not had a lot of them this year. We’ll see what the weather will do tomorrow but I’m already very happy with where we are. From here there is light at the end of the tunnel to push on and close the gap further.”
Reigning world champion, McLaren’s Lando Norris – who scored his first career F1 victory in Miami in 2024 – will roll off fourth on the grid. He won Saturday afternoon’s 19-lap Sprint Race here leading every lap.
Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell was fifth fastest on the grid and will start alongside seven-time F1 champion, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton. Defending Miami race winner, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was seventh quickest in qualifying.
The Cadillac F1 team – in its debut season on the grid – struggled some in qualifying, neither driver advancing out of the first round. Valterri Bottas and Sergio Perez will start 20th and 21st on the 22-car grid.
There is a chance of rain for Sunday’s 4 p.m. lights out start and the sanctioning body announced mid-afternoon Saturday it would allow teams to work on their cars post-qualifying.
“It could be quite slippery,’’ Verstappen said. “It’s quite a handful and won’t be easy but let’s wait and see how much water comes down.’’
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Kimi Antonelli takes pole position for Miami F1 Grand Prix
Reporting by Holly Cain, Special to The Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
