Kimi Antonelli will start the sprint race in Miami on Saturday from pole position. The Italian teenager is making history as the youngest driver ever to achieve this feat. “This feels amazing,” Antonelli (18) exclaims over the radio, comfortably outpacing both McLarens and Max Verstappen.
Twelve minutes on the mandatory medium tire in SQ1, ten on the same tire type in SQ2, and eight for the final on the softest and fastest tire: the format for the sprint race qualification is straightforward. After just one shortened training hour due to Oliver Bearman’s crash, it’s a tight race at the start of the sprint weekend in Miami. Kimi Antonelli emerges as the fastest man on the field for Mercedes after the initial skirmishes, closely followed by Lando Norris and new father Max Verstappen. Only teammate George Russell manages to go a fraction faster in the final stages. Yuki Tsunoda is the main dropout: the Japanese driver crosses the start/finish line too late for a second run. A painful mistake. Norris and Lance Stroll are angry at Verstappen, accusing him of blocking them on the way. The first five dropouts are Liam Lawson, Lance Stroll, Yuki Tsunoda, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Oliver Bearman.
Carlos Sainz is the most notable casualty in the second sprint round. The Spaniard is eliminated because he has crossed the lines and his lap time is erased. Norris stakes his claim with the fastest time, but Verstappen and teammate Oscar Piastri are not far behind. Isack Hadjar once again shows his potential: he also survives the second session for Racing Bulls. Alongside Sainz, SQ2 also marks the end of the road for Nico Hülkenberg, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, and Liam Lawson.
Verstappen takes no chances and is the first to take the RB21 onto the track, quickly followed by Russell. The world champion clocks a time of 1:27.070 on an almost pristine track. However, this proves insufficient, as Russell is two-tenths faster and the rest of the field is yet to come. Kimi Antonelli surprises everyone in the final stages with a lap where, in his words, ‘everything comes together’. Much to the dismay of Piastri (2nd), Norris (3rd), and Verstappen (4th).
