Norris Secures Miami Sprint Pole, Mercedes Caught Off Guard

Lando Norris ended Mercedes’ streak of opening-season pole positions by taking pole for the Miami GP Sprint, a result that left George Russell admitting surprise.

A five-week gap since the Japanese Grand Prix gave rivals time to introduce substantial upgrade packages that shuffled the pecking order in Florida. McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull all brought significant parts, while Mercedes fitted only a few minor updates as it waits to introduce a larger upgrade in Canada.

Norris topped the session, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli splitting the McLarens in second and Oscar Piastri third. Charles Leclerc was fourth, Max Verstappen fifth and Russell a disappointed sixth behind them. Lewis Hamilton could manage only seventh.

Russell said he was taken aback by the size of McLaren’s and Ferrari’s gains and admitted he’d been struggling all day. He pointed to Miami’s hot conditions and said it wasn’t a circuit he enjoyed, while noting that Sprint Qualifying still leaves opportunities for tomorrow.

Antonelli, who leads Russell in the standings after wins in China and Japan, called the session messy: he couldn’t find pace on the medium tyres but recovered strongly on the softs to claim second and believes there was more to come.

Norris described McLaren’s progress as a pleasant surprise and praised the team’s work on the upgrade, saying the car felt markedly more confidence-inspiring from the very first corner. Piastri’s third confirmed McLaren’s improved form, which echoes much of last season.

Hamilton expressed frustration with Mercedes’ lack of pace and said the team must work overnight to understand why the car felt off. Mercedes have chosen to defer a major upgrade until Canada, which has left them vulnerable to rivals’ developments in Miami.

Ferrari brought the largest upgrade package, including a revised floor and suspension, but Leclerc said the team struggled to get the soft tyre to work. He reported good performance on the medium tyre but said the softs didn’t deliver the expected feeling.

Verstappen noted signs of progress for Red Bull, saying the team had closed much of the big gap seen in recent rounds, though they still face weaknesses in high-speed sections.

The Sprint will run on Saturday evening, with standard qualifying and the Grand Prix to follow as the 2026 season resumes in Miami.