Miami Sprint Qualifying & Sprint Recap

Sprint Qualifying: A Star is Born

The headline couldn’t be clearer Kimi Antonelli, at 18 years and 251 days, became the youngest pole sitter in Formula 1 history. His lap wasn’t just fast it was commanding. Clean sectors, surgical precision, and he put multiple tenths into both McLarens. The paddock felt it—this wasn’t just a good lap; it was a generational moment.

Miami, as always, delivered on track evolution. It’s not a permanent circuit, it barely sees rubber outside of F1 weekends—so the grip curve rises rapidly, and timing is everything. Antonelli and Mercedes nailed it.

Max Verstappen went for a different run plan and made it work, but George Russell went out just a little too early, missing the sweet spot. It could have easily been a front row lockout for Mercedes. Still, Piastri in P2 and Norris in P3 shaped up an exciting sprint and kept McLaren very much in the fight.

Ferrari? There, but just not sharp enough. Isack Hadjar in P9 once again showed why he’s one of the sharpest one-lap drivers on the grid. He always delivers in qualifying, and this was no exception.

Then came the pain for Yuki Tsunoda. Down in P18 , not on him. The team put him on the wrong run plan, and just as he was starting his flyer, Oliver Bearman came through on a hot lap, forcing Yuki to abort. That was it no recovery, and a brutal blow to both his morale and the team’s weekend.

Sprint Race: From Dream to Disaster for Kimi

From pole position to heartbreak, Kimi Antonelli’s sprint unravelled in just a few laps. His start was decent, but Piastri’s was stellar launching like it was Jeddah all over again. As they barrelled into Turn 1, Kimi got crowded, ran wide, and dropped three positions.

Momentum gone, rhythm lost, and soon George Russell was hunting him down and passing him. It all came undone fast.

Then came the pit stop drama. Verstappen, on exit, was released unsafely and made contact with Kimi, earning Max a 10-second penalty. But Kimi? He had to do a full drive-through the pitlane, which torpedoed what was still a top-5 recovery into a P11 finish. Painful, and arguably avoidable. A rookie mistake not by Kimi, but by Redbull.

Strategy, though, turned the sprint into a masterclass for some. Lewis Hamilton, in particular, flew after switching early to slicks, three seconds faster than the rest of the field at times. Ferrari and Mercedes both made the right calls. The car might lack raw pace, but the strategy crew and pit stops are keeping Hamilton in the game this season.

McLaren, too, got it right. They pitted Piastri early, giving him a clean window, while Norris stayed out and still found pace. Somehow, Miami just works for Lando. Last year it was Kings Day, this year it was a Portuguese power cut yet he always finds a way to show up and deliver here.

Charles Leclerc had a nightmare spinning on the reconnaissance lap after choosing inters, just like Hamilton. But while Lewis thrived, Charles lost control. Another unforced error, another missed opportunity.

And what can you say about Fernando Alonso? Qualified in the top 10, raised hopes, but still no points. It’s becoming one of the toughest season starts of his career.

The final surprise? Alex Albon. Smooth, consistent, and took P4 on merit. Meanwhile, Russell in P5 never really looked like threatening the podium. Verstappen, with the penalty, tumbled all the way to P17. A shocker of a sprint for the reigning champ.

Final Thoughts

This was one of the best sprints we’ve seen yet chaotic, strategic, and full of drama. Seeing pit stops in the sprint format finally pay off added another layer of excitement. With two more sessions to go, the Miami weekend is still wide open and we’re only getting started.

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