Norris takes sprint pole in upgraded McLaren, ends Mercedes' 2026 streak

Lando Norris secured pole position for the Miami Grand Prix sprint race, defeating championship leader Kimi Antonelli in a significant statement for McLaren's mid-season upgrade package. The reigning world champion set a 1m27.869s on his single flying lap in SQ3, handing Mercedes its first defeat in a competitive session this season. Oscar Piastri made it a strong showing for the Woking-based squad by qualifying third, just behind Antonelli, as Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen rounded out the top five.

Why it matters:

After a dominant start to the 2026 season by Mercedes, McLaren's performance in Miami is the first concrete sign that the competitive order might be shifting. The result validates the team's aggressive upgrade strategy during the recent break and suggests Mercedes, which did not bring updates this weekend, could face a stiffer challenge in the second half of the year. For Norris, it's a promising return to a circuit where he scored his maiden F1 victory two years prior.

The details:

The session was the first under revised sporting regulations aimed at reducing excessive energy management, allowing drivers to push more consistently. It also followed a mandatory development break where most top teams introduced major upgrades.

• McLaren's Momentum: Norris led both SQ1 and the decisive SQ3, with Piastri close behind, demonstrating a clear step forward from their upgrade package.
• Mercedes Holds On: Antonelli qualified a close second, just 0.222s off Norris, showing the reigning champions' baseline performance remains strong despite a lack of new parts. Teammate George Russell could only manage sixth.
• Ferrari & Red Bull Progress: Charles Leclerc (4th) and Max Verstappen (5th) showed improved pace, with both Ferrari and Red Bull having also brought significant updates to Miami.
• Session Standouts: Alpine's Franco Colapinto impressed with eighth, while Pierre Gasly grabbed the final point in tenth. The Audi duo of Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg were narrowly eliminated in SQ2.
• Struggles at the Back: Aston Martin's ongoing troubles with its Honda power unit hit a new low, as neither Fernando Alonso nor Lance Stroll set a representative lap time. Cadillac and Haas also languished at the bottom of the timing sheets.

What's next:

The focus now shifts to Saturday's 19-lap sprint race, which will provide the first true race-condition test of the new upgrade packages and the revised regulations.

• The sprint offers a crucial opportunity for McLaren to convert its qualifying pace into a strong points haul and for Mercedes to assess its relative race performance without updates.
• Grand Prix qualifying follows later on Saturday, setting the grid for Sunday's main event where teams will have more data to optimize their cars.
• The results in Miami could set the tone for the upcoming European leg of the championship, indicating whether McLaren's challenge is genuine or if Mercedes can maintain its early-season supremacy.