Liam Lawson’s Miami Grand Prix qualifying campaign delivered flashes of promise but ultimately ended in frustration as the Kiwi narrowly missed out on a place in Q3 in a fiercely competitive session at the Miami International Autodrome.
While the headline story belonged to Mercedes sensation Kimi Antonelli—who stormed to a third consecutive pole position—Lawson’s performance told a quieter, yet still compelling tale of fine margins and what might have been.
Lawson put together a solid opening phase in Q1, showing encouraging pace as conditions remained tricky with gusty winds catching drivers out across the lap. One of the first to bolt on fresh soft tyres, the Racing Bulls driver briefly surged up the order and looked well-placed to comfortably progress.
As the track ramped up and times tumbled late in the session, Lawson did enough to safely move through to Q2, continuing a consistent run of form that has seen him regularly threaten the top 10.
However, Q2 proved a tougher challenge.
With the field tightly packed and track evolution playing a critical role, Lawson struggled to extract the final few tenths needed to break into the top 10 shootout. Despite a clean and composed lap, he ended the session 12th fastest—agonisingly close, but not enough to progress.
It leaves the Kiwi just outside the top 10 on the grid, but firmly in the fight for points heading into race day.
At the front, it was Antonelli who once again underlined his rapid rise in Formula 1. The Italian delivered a stunning lap midway through Q3 that ultimately proved untouchable, securing pole with a time of 1:27.798.
Max Verstappen looked like a genuine threat and came close to stealing top spot with a strong final effort, but fell just over a tenth short and will start alongside Antonelli on the front row. Charles Leclerc slotted into third, continuing Ferrari’s solid form.
Lando Norris recovered from earlier issues to take fourth, while George Russell made it two Mercedes cars inside the top five. Lewis Hamilton followed in sixth, with Oscar Piastri unable to fully capitalise on McLaren’s pace as he settled for seventh.
Further back, Alpine impressed with both cars inside the top 10, as Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly secured strong grid positions, split by Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar.
The fight around the Q2 cutoff was particularly intense, with just fractions separating multiple drivers. Nico Hülkenberg narrowly missed out on Q3 in 11th, with Lawson directly behind in 12th, highlighting how tight the midfield battle remains.
Ollie Bearman once again outperformed his Haas teammate Esteban Ocon, while Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon endured disappointing sessions for Williams.
Earlier in Q1, several notable names were eliminated, including Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, while Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez struggled in their home event. Gabriel Bortoleto endured a dramatic session, managing only a single lap before a brake issue forced him to stop on track.
Although Lawson will be disappointed not to reach Q3, his pace across the weekend suggests he is well within striking distance of the points. Starting from 12th, strategy and race execution will be key—particularly around a circuit known for its overtaking opportunities and unpredictable conditions.
Up front, Antonelli’s pole sets the stage for another fascinating battle, with Verstappen, Leclerc, and the McLarens all poised to challenge.
For Lawson, the mission is clear: convert potential into points and continue building momentum in what is shaping up to be an increasingly competitive Formula 1 midfield fight.
Header Image: Sam Bagnall/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool
