Norris claims Sprint pole, ends Mercedes qualifying run
SkimNews Take
The new car's performance, rather than driver skill or track conditions, appears to be the primary factor in breaking established team dominance.
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Lando Norris claimed Sprint pole at Miami with a 1:27.869 lap, the only driver to dip below 88 seconds in SQ3 and McLaren's first pole of the 2026 season.
- Mercedes' opening-three-rounds qualifying streak ended as Kimi Antonelli took second (two tenths back) but George Russell slumped to sixth, admitting McLaren and Ferrari had been 'quicker than us' all day.
- McLaren brought more upgrades to Miami than Mercedes, who are holding a bigger package of changes for the next round in Canada, per the article.
- Oscar Piastri took third to underline McLaren's resurgence, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fourth on an SF-26 carrying a grid-high 11 different upgrades.
- Max Verstappen was fifth as Red Bull showed improved pace with significant upgrades, though teammate Isack Hadjar was 0.8s slower in ninth between the two Alpines.
- Aston Martin brought no aerodynamic updates and remained at the foot of the order, with Fernando Alonso's time an unrepresentative 10 seconds off the pace after Lance Stroll's early spin into the run-off.
- Norris had yet to finish higher than fourth in any Sprint or Grand Prix this title-defense year heading into Miami, where he won his maiden Grand Prix in 2024.
Why it matters: McLaren's heavily-upgraded MCL40 appears to have closed the gap to Mercedes ahead of the team's own expectations, with Russell conceding rivals were 'quicker than us' all day. Mercedes are deliberately holding back bigger upgrades until Canada, betting the Miami pecking order doesn't hold over a full race distance — a calculated gamble on the constructors' standings lead.
