Overview
- Lando Norris took sprint pole on Friday in Miami in an upgraded McLaren, edging Mercedes points leader Kimi Antonelli by 0.222 seconds with Oscar Piastri third.
- The pole ended Mercedes’ perfect qualifying run in 2026 and showcased the impact of the large upgrade packages rolled out by McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull.
- The weekend is the first with FIA tweaks to hybrid power use that limit aggressive battery harvesting to cut risky closing speeds and let drivers run laps closer to flat out.
- Ferrari set the early pace as Charles Leclerc topped the sole practice session, while Mercedes hit power‑unit issues and Aston Martin’s Honda problems left its cars at the back in qualifying.
- Saturday features a 19‑lap sprint before grand prix qualifying, following a five‑week gap created when Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were canceled because of the Middle East conflict.