Norris ends Mercedes qualifying dominance with sprint pole in Miami

Key facts

• Lando Norris took sprint pole at Miami Grand Prix with a lap of 1:27.869.
• Norris is the first driver to beat a Mercedes in qualifying this year.
• McLaren brought a major upgrade package to Miami, similar to their 2024 turnaround.
• Norris trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 47 points after a poor start.
• McLaren CEO Zak Brown has overseen team valuation growth from £560m to £4bn since 2020.
• The Miami race is the first F1 event after a five-week hiatus due to cancellations in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

McLaren’s resurgence in Miami

Lando Norris put McLaren back on top in qualifying for the sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix, ending Mercedes’ stranglehold on the top grid slot this season. The world champion clocked a 1:27.869 to beat Kimi Antonelli by 0.222 seconds, with Oscar Piastri third fastest. It was the first time a non-Mercedes driver has led a qualifying session in 2026. The result marks a dramatic turnaround for McLaren, who arrived in Miami after a five-week break triggered by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. The team brought a major upgrade package to the temporary 19-turn street circuit around the Hard Rock Stadium, echoing their successful mid-season overhaul in 2024 that transformed Norris’s campaign.

Upgrade package reignites title defence

McLaren’s poor start to the season had left Norris without a podium and 47 points adrift of Antonelli in the championship. Oscar Piastri failed to start his home race in Melbourne, and both drivers failed to start in China. Team principal Andrea Stella revealed the team had always planned to introduce a “completely new car” in Miami, particularly from an aerodynamic standpoint. “That was always the idea,” Stella said. “Especially from an aerodynamic upgrades point of view… so we can keep up with this plan.” The upgrade appears to have worked immediately, with Norris praising the improved grip. “Was great. Perfect result for us. Nice way to reward the team,” he said. “We have a lot of new upgrades, nice to feel some grip again and nice reward for the guys and girls.”

Mercedes struggles amid regulation tweaks

Mercedes, who had dominated qualifying all year, faced unexpected difficulties. George Russell managed only sixth after reporting strange noises from his turbo, while Antonelli’s soft-tyre run in SQ3 was compromised by a power unit issue. The championship leader had to abort his flying lap, leaving him second on the grid. The weekend also marks the debut of revised engine-management regulations aimed at promoting flat-out driving in qualifying and reducing closing speeds in races, following Ollie Bearman’s heavy crash in Japan. The only practice session has been extended by 30 minutes to help teams adapt. Norris acknowledged the changes are a step in the right direction: “Qualifying should be a bit more flat-out qualifying style laps, which is a nice thing, it’s what we wanted as drivers.”

McLaren’s commercial growth and golf expansion

Off track, McLaren continues to flex its commercial muscle. CEO Zak Brown has overseen remarkable growth: in 2020 the racing team was valued at £560 million, but by last September Forbes estimated it at approximately £4 billion, behind only Mercedes and Ferrari. The team now has well over 50 sponsors. In a surprising move, McLaren has expanded into golf equipment, signing Justin Rose as their top-tier ambassador. Rose posed alongside Norris — an avid golfer — at a lavish launch in Florida on Wednesday. The diversification reflects the team’s ambition beyond Formula 1, though it marks a departure from the racing-focused ethos of founder Bruce McLaren.

Sprint and grand prix outlook

The sprint race takes place on Saturday at 17:00 BST, with qualifying for Sunday’s grand prix at 21:00. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who topped the sole practice session, will start fourth, ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton qualified seventh in the second Ferrari. McLaren’s performance in Miami could prove pivotal. In 2024, a similar upgrade at this circuit turned Norris’s season around, propelling him to his first career win. With the championship gap still large, Norris remains cautious but optimistic. “I think we can have a good season, even if we’re not where we want to be right now,” he said before the race. “We still want to push hard for the championship.”

The road ahead for F1’s 2026 season

The Miami weekend effectively marks a new start for the 2026 campaign after the five-week hiatus. The regulation changes, while welcome to drivers, are not a panacea. Norris noted that covering up some problems reveals others, and that major hardware changes are difficult mid-season when one team dominates. Yet for McLaren, the immediate future looks brighter. With a car that suddenly has pace, and a driver who has proven he can beat the best, the team that was written off after a dismal start is back in contention. The question now is whether they can sustain this form and close the gap to Antonelli, or whether Mercedes will find a response.

The bottom line

• Lando Norris ended Mercedes' qualifying dominance with sprint pole in Miami, aided by a major McLaren upgrade.
• McLaren's upgrade package mirrors their 2024 Miami turnaround that launched Norris's title-winning season.
• Regulation tweaks debuted in Miami aim to improve qualifying excitement and reduce crash risks.
• Mercedes struggled with technical issues; Antonelli and Russell both faced problems in qualifying.
• McLaren's commercial value has surged to £4bn, and the team is diversifying into golf equipment.
• Norris trails Antonelli by 47 points but believes McLaren can still fight for the championship.