Norris snatches Miami sprint pole as McLaren upgrades shake up F1 order

Key facts

• Lando Norris took pole for the Miami sprint race, beating Kimi Antonelli by two-tenths of a second.
• McLaren introduced a heavily upgraded car across the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix.
• Mercedes had held every pole position in 2026 before Norris's lap.
• Kimi Antonelli leads the championship by nine points over teammate George Russell.
• Sunday's race faces an 85% chance of heavy thunderstorms, with lightning protocols possibly forcing a schedule change.
• Ferrari and Red Bull also brought substantial upgrades to Miami.
• The sprint race is the first competitive session after a five-week break due to cancelled races.

McLaren's gamble pays off in Miami

Lando Norris seized pole position for the Miami Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday, delivering a lap that stunned even his own team. The McLaren driver outpaced championship leader Kimi Antonelli by two-tenths of a second, ending Mercedes' stranglehold on pole positions this season. Norris's performance came on the back of a major upgrade package that team principal Andrea Stella had described as a 'completely new car.' The team had hoped to close the gap to Mercedes but did not expect to overhaul them so soon.

Mercedes' dominance broken at last

Until Miami, Mercedes had claimed every pole position in 2026 across both qualifying and sprint qualifying. Kimi Antonelli and George Russell have led the championship with nine points separating them, their car looking dominant in clean air but vulnerable in traffic. Norris's lap, however, exposed a chink in the Mercedes armour. Antonelli could only manage second, while Oscar Piastri placed third. George Russell qualified sixth, marking the first time this season a Mercedes has not been on pole in either format.

Upgrades reshape the pecking order

The five-week break, forced by the cancellation of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain Grands Prix due to the war in the Middle East, gave teams an unexpected opportunity to develop their cars. Ferrari and Red Bull also brought significant upgrades to Miami, hoping to close the gap to Mercedes. Charles Leclerc qualified fourth, Max Verstappen fifth, and Lewis Hamilton seventh. Ferrari drivers Leclerc and Hamilton have repeatedly expressed confidence in their chassis, suggesting more performance is yet to come. If their upgrades deliver, the title fight could ignite.

Weather threat looms over Sunday's race

The main race on Sunday is scheduled for 4pm local time, but forecasters predict an 85% chance of heavy thunderstorms. The FIA is monitoring the situation closely and may bring the start time forward. Protocol requires the race to be stopped if lightning strikes within an eight-mile radius. A decision on any schedule change must be made on Saturday. If rain does fall, it will be the first time these new-generation cars have run competitively in wet conditions, adding another layer of uncertainty.

Red Bull and Ferrari seek revival

Red Bull's four-time champion Max Verstappen currently sits ninth in the championship, a position unthinkable at the start of the season. The team hopes its Florida upgrades will solve the issues that have plagued its car. Ferrari, with Leclerc and Hamilton fourth and third in the standings respectively, believe their chassis is strong and that substantial gains are possible. The sprint race will provide an early indication of whether those hopes are well-founded.

Rule adjustments tested in practice

The Miami weekend also marks the debut of updated regulations aimed at addressing driver dissatisfaction with energy management dominating racing. An extended first practice session on Friday morning passed without obvious discontent, but the real test will come in qualifying, the sprint, and the main race. The new rules are part of a broader effort to improve the spectacle, and early signs suggest they may have achieved their goal without causing disruption.

Sprint race sets the stage for a dramatic weekend

Norris's pole position has injected fresh intrigue into a season that had been dominated by Mercedes. The sprint race will be the first competitive action in five weeks, and the combination of upgrades, rule changes, and potential weather disruption makes Miami a pivotal moment in the championship. With McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull all showing signs of progress, the question now is whether any team can sustain a challenge to Mercedes over a full race distance. The answer may come in the Florida heat – or the storms that threaten to upend the schedule.

The bottom line

• McLaren's major upgrade package has immediately closed the gap to Mercedes, as shown by Norris's sprint pole.
• Mercedes' unbeaten qualifying streak in 2026 ended in Miami, with Antonelli and Russell qualifying second and sixth respectively.
• Ferrari and Red Bull also introduced significant upgrades, aiming to challenge Mercedes in the championship.
• Sunday's race faces an 85% chance of thunderstorms, which could force a schedule change or create the first wet-race test for the new cars.
• The five-week break due to cancelled races allowed teams to develop their cars, reshaping the competitive order.
• Updated regulations aimed at improving racing appear to have been accepted without major issues in early practice.