Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has secured pole position for the Miami Grand Prix (Sunday, 10:00 PM CEST), bringing much-needed relief to Mercedes.
After the Silver Arrows had been trailing behind in Formula 1’s recent returns, the Italian fought back in qualifying with the fastest lap of the day. This marks the third consecutive pole for the shooting star.
‘Being on pole again is fantastic,’ said Antonelli, who finished sixth in the sprint race after a five-second time penalty. ‘Of course, I had a difficult start to the day; the sprint didn’t go as I wanted. I’m very happy with qualifying.’
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen surprisingly secured second place, underlining Red Bull’s positive development. ‘Being on the front row is much better than I expected before this weekend,’ said the Dutchman.
Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari took third place. McLaren driver Lando Norris, who had previously won the sprint race convincingly, couldn’t match the pace of his competitors in the hunt for time and only finished fourth.
In the internal team duel at Silver Arrows, George Russell, finishing fifth, suffered another setback, with the momentum clearly on Antonelli’s side. Record world champion Lewis Hamilton continues to face significant problems in Miami and finished sixth in the second Ferrari. Oscar Piastri, who finished second in the sprint, experienced difficulties like Norris and only secured seventh place.
Formula 1: Nico Hülkenberg Qualifies Eleventh in Miami
Formula 1 in Miami has been unpredictable so far, making predictions difficult. And the balance of power could shift again as early as Sunday. Due to forecasted severe weather in Miami, the FIA has officially declared the fourth Grand Prix of the year a wet race, and with the new cars, drivers lack experience in damp conditions. It is also unclear whether the start will be brought forward to avoid potential weather chaos.
Nico Hülkenberg, in his Audi, qualified in eleventh place, similar to his performance in Australia, China, and Japan. Previously, the German works team had a day to forget. Hülkenberg, who is still without championship points this season, couldn’t participate in the sprint race as his car caught fire on the way to the grid. Teammate Gabriel Bortoleto was subsequently disqualified for a violation of engine intake air pressure regulations, and his brakes caught fire during qualifying. This left him with only the last starting spot.