P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli resisted a surprise challenge from Max Verstappen to take Miami GP pole as McLaren slumped after its sprint win
Kimi Antonelli, the leader of the Formula 1 world championship, successfully defended his pole position at the Miami Grand Prix against Max Verstappen, as McLaren faced a setback following their strong sprint performance.
Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate and main rival, George Russell, struggled in Miami, qualifying only fifth in the session.
Verstappen’s impressive performance in qualifying marked a significant improvement for Red Bull in the 2026 season, with Antonelli facing a tighter competition than expected.
Despite McLaren’s dominant sprint showing earlier, they failed to pose a serious threat for pole position during the qualifying session.
While some teams encountered technical issues, such as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris from McLaren, the pole fight remained intense with Charles Leclerc from Ferrari finishing third, and Lewis Hamilton in sixth.
The qualifying session also saw standout performances from Franco Colapinto, Isack Hadjar, and Pierre Gasly, with Audi providing much of the drama before the pole shootout.
