Follow the 2026 Miami Grand Prix: Live Updates and Key Moments

The 2026 Miami Grand Prix is underway, with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli starting from pole position ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. The race follows a Sprint event won by McLaren's Lando Norris, who will start fourth, while Red Bull's Isack Hadjar faces a pit-lane start after a parc ferme penalty. All eyes are on whether Antonelli can convert his pole into a win to extend his early championship lead.

Why it matters:

This race is a critical early-season test for the new competitive order. Antonelli's pole position for Mercedes signals a potential shift in power, while Red Bull's Verstappen looks to fight back from second. The altered schedule due to weather adds another strategic variable, and any result will significantly impact the tight drivers' championship, where Antonelli currently holds a narrow seven-point lead.

The details:

• Qualifying Result: Kimi Antonelli secured his first pole position of the season for Mercedes, beating Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).
• Sprint Recap: Lando Norris won Saturday's Sprint from pole, taking maximum points ahead of Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Charles Leclerc. Antonelli finished sixth.
• Grid Penalty: Red Bull's Isack Hadjar was disqualified from qualifying due to parc ferme infringements. The team changed multiple power unit components, forcing him to start the Grand Prix from the pit lane.
• Championship Standings: Entering the race, Antonelli leads the Drivers' Championship by 7 points over teammate George Russell and by 20 points over Charles Leclerc.
• Schedule Change: The Grand Prix start time was moved three hours earlier due to forecasts of adverse weather conditions later in the day.

Between the lines:

The weekend is highlighting the intense intra-team battle at Mercedes, with rookie Antonelli outshining the more experienced George Russell in qualifying. For McLaren, Norris's Sprint win shows strong race pace, but converting a fourth-place grid start into a podium will be a challenge. The weather-induced schedule change could benefit teams with more flexible strategy calls, potentially mixing up the expected order. A strong result for Antonelli would firmly establish him as a title contender in his debut season, while Verstappen and Red Bull are under pressure to reassert their dominance.