Lando Norris achieved pole position in the F1 Sprint Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix with a time of 1:27.869. This marks a significant achievement for McLaren as it breaks Mercedes’ dominance in qualifying sessions this season.
Oscar Piastri qualified in third place with a time of 1:28.108. This is the first time in the 2026 season that Mercedes has been beaten in any form of qualifying session.
Norris described his SQ2 session as “woeful” but bounced back in SQ3 to secure pole. He expressed happiness for the team, stating, “I’m incredibly happy for the whole team because, from the very first lap, it felt like we had taken a step forward.”
McLaren introduced several upgrades to its MCL40 for the 2026 season. Neil Houldey, Technical Director, noted that the car’s performance showed promising signs and remarked, “To come away with a Pole and third on tomorrow’s Sprint grid, given where we were in the first few races, is a strong step forward.”
The Sprint will take place on Saturday following the qualifying session. Norris’s pole position is seen as a reward for the team’s hard work on upgrades.
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