World champion Max Verstappen secured pole position at the Miami Grand Prix after clocking the fastest lap of all, completing it in 1m 27.64s. Verstappen will lead the grid tomorrow, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc trailing by 0.108s and Sergio Perez close behind.
Daniel Ricciardo impressed fans with a stellar performance, claiming the fourth-fastest time in the RB, ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
The start of the qualifying session showcased McLaren’s promising performance, initially hinting at a front-row position. However, their tactical strategy backfired as they struggled with pace on the soft tires, resulting in Oscar Piastri taking P6 and Lando Norris P9. Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin secured P7 and P8 respectively, while Nico Hulkenberg from Haas rounded up the top 10.
It was a disappointing day for team Mercedes, with both drivers lagging behind, George Russell at P11 and the seven-time world champion at P12. Hamilton also faced a setback with a pit lane infringement.
Despite claiming pole position, Verstappen admitted to facing challenges during the race, particularly in optimizing tire performance. He stated, “Maybe in that last session, it was just incredibly difficult to get the tires to work. Already in SQ2, I didn’t feel great. In practice, it felt really nice, I was very comfortable and confident, but in qualifying not so much.”
Source AFP.
Additional Reporting By Marion Kageni
