For the first time in the 2026 season, Mercedes didn’t have things their own way when it mattered most. Lando Norris grabbed pole for the Miami Sprint, putting McLaren firmly back in the conversation after a five-week break. Kimi Antonelli will line up alongside him on the front row, with Oscar Piastri completing an impressive top three for the Woking squad. Keep reading for a full breakdown of how Sprint Qualifying played out.
SQ1 Report:
Things got messy early in SQ1. Ferrari showed strong early speed, with Leclerc and Hamilton near the top of the order from the start, though McLaren also seemed to be in the mix, as Norris topped the pack in the first session. Trouble struck for Aston Martin early on, when Lance Stroll locked up and beached his car near the hairpin, bringing out yellow flags that disrupted several runs across the field. Fernando Alonso didn’t fare much better, his only timed lap getting deleted for track limits, leaving the two-time World Champion without a competitive time. Liam Lawson was perhaps the unluckiest name in the drop zone, going out in 17th. Also failing to advance were Ocon, Perez, Bottas, Stroll, and Alonso.
SQ2 Report:
Ferrari kept the pressure on in the second segment, with Leclerc going quickest and Hamilton also looking sharp on the medium compound. Meanwhile, things weren’t so smooth for some of the other frontrunners, as Norris could be seen suffering from a scrappy moment through the chicane that cost him lap time, and Antonelli radioed in to flag front-end locking issues. One team that was performing well was Alpine, as both Gasly and Colapinto were able to continue to SQ3. The six drivers who were not as fortunate were Bortoleto, Hulkenberg, Bearman, Albon, Sainz, and Lindblad.
SQ3 Report:
When the soft tires went on for the final shootout, it was Norris who absolutely nailed his lap, being two tenths clear of the field and the only man to dip under 1:27. Antonelli was able to give Mercedes some hope and claim second, while Piastri rounded out a strong McLaren showing in third. Leclerc had to settle for fourth after Ferrari’s earlier edge evaporated on the softs. Verstappen recovered to fifth after a difficult first two segments, with Russell in sixth. Hamilton had a moment at Turn 17 that ruined what could have been a much better lap, ending up seventh. Colapinto, Hadjar, and Gasly completed the top ten.
