Magic Max as McLaren falters in Miami

Verstappen beat Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli to pole for the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.

McLaren looked set to claim a one-two after Qualifying 2, Piastri having banked a blistering time, but was unable to match that effort in the final segment a

Jack Doohan will line up for Sunday’s race from 14th while Liam Lawson nursed a battery issue to qualify 15th.

Following a wet Sprint race earlier in the day, the sun had broken through and dried the Miami International Autodrome.

Those dramatically different conditions prompted a stampede on track when the session, delayed by 15 minutes following a delay with the Sprint earlier, eventually began.

Piastri was fastest in those initial laps, proving 0.266s quicker than Max Verstappen with Lando Norris third best.

Neither Mercedes driver set an initial time, nor did Liam Lawson or Isack Hadjar for Racing Bulls.

When Kimi Antonelli did log a lap, the Sprint pole sitter shot to the top of the timesheets with a 1:27.077s – a time some six-tenths away from what earned him pole in Sprint Qualifying on Friday.

George Russell was only capable of seventh best, his initial lap four-tenths off the pace of his young Mercedes colleague.

Verstappen was the first to dip into the 1:26 bracket, logging a 1:26.870s to go fastest shortly before Piastri improved to 1:27.006s to squeeze Antonelli back to third.

The final minutes were busy, Verstappen remaining fastest from Norris and Piastri was Russell improved to fourth.

Jack Doohan also moved himself into safety as the chequered flag waved, setting the 11th best time.

He ultimately slipped to 13th, but remained clear of the drop zone, as did Liam Lawson in 14th.

Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, and Bearman were the five eliminated.

Verstappen was the early pace setter in Qualifying 2, going some 0.2s faster than he’d managed in the previous segment.

His time lasted only until the McLaren pair logged their first laps, Piastri managing a blistering 1:26.269s to head Norris by 0.230s.

The lap left Piastri in a comfortable position heading into the final four minutes of the segment, as the field headed back out for a final push lap.

At risk were Russell, Esteban Ocon, Doohan, Lawson, and Hadjar.

Russell had asked to be sent out early, complaining of a lack of grip from his Mercedes.

Hadjar improved to 10th with his final lap, though others behind him were improving, putting the Frenchman at risk of elimination.

Russell was chief among them, improving to third fastest to bump the Racing Bulls to 11th.

Hadjar was sensationally joined on the sidelines by Lewis Hamilton, who was only 12th best, with Gabriel Bortoleto, Doohan, and Lawson rounding out the five to be eliminated.

Lawson’s lack of pace was related to a battery issue in his Racing Bulls, a problem the team had been trying to manage throughout the session.

Piastri kept his powder dry at the end of Qualifying 2, the only car to remain in the garage, but he was not shy at the start of Q3, heading out to bank an early lap.

Verstappen was again the first front-runner to set a time, a 1:26.492s, an effort around 0.15s better than his Q2 effort.

On his first lap, Piastri could only manage a 1:26.509s, eclipsed by Norris on a 1:26.495s, the top three split by just 0.017s.

Antonelli was fourth best, though more than 0.2s away from the pace ahead, with Russell sixth despite running wide at Turn 17 on his lap.

A mistake into Turn 1 as he started his final flying lap put Verstappen immediately on the back foot.

He still went fastest of anyone through the first split, the Red Bull driver half a lap ahead of the McLaren pair he was battling with for pole.

Verstappen went on to log a 1:26.204s as Norris failed to set the world alight through the first third of the lap.

Piastri was also sluggish to the first split, and only managed a personal best to the second split.

He ended the lap with only the third best time, 0.171s away from Verstappen while Norris was also unable to better the incredible Dutchman.

If that wasn’t disappointing enough, Piastri then found himself bumped to fourth as Antonelli managed a lap just 0.002s slower than Norris to steal third place.

Then came Russell, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Charles Leclerc, Esteban Ocon, and Yuki Tsunoda.