For the second time this season, Formula 1 is competing in a weekend with a Sprint format at the Miami Grand Prix, the sixth round of the season. And it did so on Saturday with pole position in the sprint going to the lightning-fast Kimi Antonelli, who confirmed, if there was any doubt, that he is serious about springing more surprises throughout the season. Let’s not forget that he is only 18 years old. Alongside him in tomorrow’s sprint race will be Piastri and Norris. Alonso made it to SQ3 and will start tenth, with Sainz in 15th.
Antonelli takes the ‘mini pole’ in Miami
As for Oscar Piastri, once again, he has managed to put himself in the right place to show McLaren that Norris is not alone, and that if they want to fight for the World Championship, they will have to do so with a team leader who is no longer the untouchable figure that Lando was just over six months ago.
A Sprint qualifying in Miami in which it was already known that the race in Florida had been renewed with a multi, multi, multi-year extension, remaining on the calendar until no less than 2041. Let’s remember that Madrid has signed a 10-year contract until 2035, but other Grand Prix races such as Belgium at Spa or Zandvoort in the Netherlands do not even have confirmation that they will be able to hold a new event in three years’ time, in 2028. But Miami is not just a race on the calendar, it is marketing and profits. And Formula 1 knows that.
On the sporting side, we saw the session start with several surprises early on, which set the tone for what was to come in Q3. Q1 was somewhat lackluster and messy, with the feeling that there could be a few penalties after the session. Among them, for example, was Max Verstappen, who wasted no time and was one of the first to set a good time.
Something similar happened with Alonso and his Aston Martin, where, in addition to advancing to Q2, the Spaniard set the fifth fastest time in Q1 to secure his place in the next round, as did Sainz, who also advanced to Q2 and finished in a creditable fifth place. Those eliminated in this first session were Stroll, Doohan, Tsunoda, Bortoleto, and Bearman. The fastest was Antonelli.
At the start of SQ2, although Antonelli once again showed that he was fearless and put himself in contention by getting ahead of his teammate Russell, it was Oscar Piastri who once again scared everyone, including Lando Norris, by setting the fastest lap of the moment with a 1:27.354, while his teammate was less than two tenths behind. Subsequently, it was Verstappen who took the lead, less than a tenth of a second ahead. It was a first sign of what was to come.
On the other hand, the man who was once again fighting against everything and everyone was Hamilton, who not only looked further behind than usual, but was also a full second behind Leclerc, who was on his way to becoming the alternative to McLaren in this Miami Sprint qualifying.
Alonso puts his Aston Martin in Q3
The surprise came from Fernando Alonso. Everyone knew that when the Asturian had the right tools, he could do something that the other drivers couldn’t. And that’s what happened in Q2. Because, even knowing that the Aston Martin is not up to much, the Spaniard made it through to the final round in a highly commendable 7th place, leaving behind cars such as Sainz, who failed to set a time and remained in Q2, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Gasly and Lawson.
He did it with a surgical lap, holding his breath for half the pit lane and shattering expectations. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz (the fastest driver all weekend) made a mistake on turn 11 and was out. The Madrid native will start 15th in the sprint, but his pace gives cause for optimism: he has what it takes to make a comeback. Alonso, on the other hand, has already won.
For the final SQ3, many drivers pushed to the limit, with Piastri and Leclerc just scraping across the line to make their only attempt of the session. And while all eyes were on the McLarens and Verstappen’s second attempt, Antonelli, Mercedes’ big project and the youngest driver on the grid, came out of nowhere and set the fastest time, securing his first Sprint qualifying, ahead of Piastri and Norris, with Verstappen fourth, Russell fifth and the Ferraris behind. Alonso finally finished 10th for tomorrow’s sprint race, but the damage was already done. Hadjar was ninth and Albon saved Williams in eighth.