Breaking: Max Verstappen on pole as Lewis Hamilton errors bi…read more
Max Verstappen Takes Pole in Miami as Hamilton Falters at Turn 17
Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance during qualifying for the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, securing pole position with a blistering lap of 1:26.204. The Red Bull driver put behind him the disappointment of a point-less sprint race—his first finish outside the points since the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix—with a display of precision and control that left little room for rivals to challenge.
Lando Norris came closest, but a scrappy final sector—particularly through the tricky Turn 17—cost him a shot at pole. Nonetheless, the McLaren driver managed to secure a front-row start, taking second place on the grid. Just behind him in P3 was Kimi Antonelli, who once again showcased his growing prowess in one-lap scenarios. The Italian impressed by getting within a tenth of Verstappen’s benchmark, solidifying his reputation as one of the standout qualifiers of the season.
Conditions were much improved from the earlier sprint session, which was disrupted by heavy rain. By the time qualifying rolled around, the Miami circuit was dry, though the looming threat of further showers led to a congested pit lane as cars queued up early to get out on track.
Gabriel Bortoleto was the first to set a time, clocking a 1:28.674 in the Sauber on soft Pirellis. However, times began to tumble quickly as track conditions improved. Verstappen soon surpassed Bortoleto’s effort by more than a second. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri briefly took the top spot with a lap 0.26 seconds faster than Verstappen, underlining McLaren’s competitiveness.
Alex Albon also found himself in hot water yet again, summoned to the stewards post-session—not for his five-second penalty in the sprint, but for an unsafe release during Q1 that forced Racing Bulls’ rookie Isack Hadjar to take evasive action.
As the clock ticked down in Q1, Verstappen reclaimed the top spot with a 1:26.870. At the same time, several drivers were under pressure to avoid elimination, including Oliver Bearman, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, Fernando Alonso, and Esteban Ocon. Lewis Hamilton was also on the brink after a costly lock-up at Turn 17, forcing him to dip into another set of soft tyres just to make it into Q2. Ultimately, Bearman, Stroll, Gasly, Alonso, and Nico Hülkenberg failed to progress.
In Q2, Piastri again showed strong pace, leading the session with a 1:26.269. That time gave him a slender margin of over two-tenths on Norris, creating a McLaren one-two early in the session. Antonelli followed closely in third, reinforcing his consistency.
Meanwhile, it was another frustrating outing for George Russell. The Mercedes driver reported a lack of grip and confidence in his W16, languishing in P11 and struggling to find the pace needed to advance to Q3.
Lewis Hamilton’s woes continued, with another mistake at Turn 17 sealing his fate. The seven-time world champion failed to progress past Q2—his error at the corner proving twice as costly in a session where margins were razor-thin.
Verstappen, however, stood tall amid the chaos, putting himself in prime position for victory on race day.
