Formula 1 returned to the United States this weekend with the vibrant streets of the Miami International Autodrome playing host to the sport’s second Sprint weekend of the 2025 season. Following a dramatic outing in Shanghai, all eyes were on Miami for another action-packed Saturday – and it did not disappoint.
While the headlines will rightfully belong to Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, who delivered a sensational performance to secure his maiden Sprint pole and become the youngest-ever Formula 1 pole sitter in any format, the entire qualifying session was a rollercoaster of drama, pace, and surprises.
SQ1:
The first segment of Sprint Qualifying saw all drivers head out on the medium compound tyres, with track evolution playing a significant role as the circuit gripped up.
Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto was the first to lay down a flying lap with a 1:29.689, but it wasn’t long before the frontrunners emerged.
Max Verstappen quickly jumped to the top with a 1:27.953 before Lando Norris shaved off a few hundredths to set the early benchmark at 1:27.890.
But it was Mercedes who looked particularly sharp. Kimi Antonelli impressed with a 1:27.858, briefly going fastest before teammate George Russell stunned the field with a 1:27.688, claiming top honours in SQ1. Elsewhere, the session saw some scrappy moments.
Charles Leclerc kissed the outside wall at Turn 16 while Bortoleto followed suit, lightly scraping the barrier with the front right of his Kick Sauber.
After running wide and having his first lap deleted, Isack Hadjar bounced back under pressure with a strong 1:28.394. While the time initially placed him in the top 10, a flurry of late improvements from rivals saw him drop to 12th by the end of the session.
A bizarre intra-team incident saw Yuki Tsunoda blocked by teammate Verstappen during the Red Bull driver’s out-lap. The delay meant Tsunoda missed the line before the chequered flag and couldn’t attempt a final flying lap, leading to his elimination – a rare and curious error from the team.
Eliminated in SQ1: Stroll, Doohan, Tsunoda, Bortoleto, Bearman.
Top 5 in SQ1: Russell, Antonelli, Albon, Norris, Sainz
SQ2:
SQ2 saw times tumble once again, this time still on the mediums, as grip improved and teams fine-tuned their setups. Verstappen drew first blood with a 1:27.729, only for Antonelli to better it by two-thousandths.
But the McLaren duo of Piastri and Norris flexed their muscles next. Piastri rocketed to the top with a 1:27.354, only for Norris to steal the spotlight moments later with a blistering 1:27.109.
Multiple drivers, including Lawson, Hadjar, Gasly, Alonso, and Sainz, opted for just one push lap. It proved to be a risky strategy.
Pierre Gasly smacked the wall hard but still managed a 1:28.167 – only good enough for 8th.
Isack Hadjar slotted into 7th but was immediately bumped down by Fernando Alonso, who narrowly edged him by 0.01s.
Carlos Sainz endured a nightmare in SQ2 as his sole push lap unravelled dramatically. A heavy lock-up sent him off track, and although he rejoined, the excursion meant his lap was deleted for exceeding track limits—leaving him without a valid time and out of the session.
Liam Lawson, meanwhile, could only manage 14th on his one attempt, stating bluntly over the radio: “My god, that was so bad.”
“It’s a shame, I think the car wasn’t in a bad place this morning, but we just fought the balance a lot more.
“It was quite diffrent to practice one to be honest. We didn’t expect it to be so different,” said Lawson
Eliminated in SQ2: Hulkenberg, Ocon, Gasly, Lawson, Sainz
Top 5 in SQ2: Norris, Verstappen, Piastri, Antonelli, Leclerc
SQ3:
With the top 10 now switching to the soft compound tyres, the final shootout became a high-stakes, one-lap battle – except for Russell and Verstappen, who opted for two runs in the 8-minute session.
Russell’s early flyer was strong – a 1:26.791 – but Verstappen went quicker, only for Antonelli to pull out a sensational lap that dropped jaws across the paddock.
The 18-year-old Italian nailed every corner to clock a 1:26.482, claiming pole for the Sprint and making history as the youngest pole sitter in F1 history, across all formats.
The McLarens weren’t far off. Piastri finished just 0.045s behind to secure a front-row start alongside Antonelli, while Norris slotted into third, a tenth down.
Verstappen, unable to match the final sector pace of his rivals, was shuffled down to fourth, and Russell rounded out the top five. Behind them, Leclerc, Hamilton, Albon, Hadjar, and Alonso completed the top ten.
Sprint Qualifying Top 10:
- Kimi Antonelli – 1:26.482
- Oscar Piastri – +0.045s
- Lando Norris – +0.100s
- Max Verstappen – +0.255s
- George Russell – +0.309s
- Charles Leclerc – +0.326s
- Lewis Hamilton – +0.548s
- Alex Albon – +0.711s
- Isack Hadjar – +1.061s
- Fernando Alonso – +1.308s
With Antonelli leading the grid and Piastri alongside, the battle into Turn 1 promises fireworks. McLaren’s pace looks real, but Verstappen – starting fourth – will be eager to reclaim ground quickly.
Can the rookie convert pole into a historic win? Will Norris or Piastri deliver McLaren’s first Sprint victory since Brazil 2023? Or will Verstappen return to form after missing out on pole for just the second time in a Sprint format?
All will be answered in what’s shaping up to be an electrifying Sprint showdown in Miami, scheduled for Sunday at 4 AM NZT.
Header Image: Red Bull Content Pool
