Lando Norris became the first non-Mercedes driver to claim a pole position in the 2026 F1 season by securing his place at the front of the grid for the Miami GP Sprint Qualifying on May 1, 2026, with a time of 1:27.869.
This achievement marks a notable shift in the competitive landscape, as it ended Mercedes’ previous dominance in qualifying sessions. Kimi Antonelli finished second, just two tenths behind Norris, while Oscar Piastri took third place, indicating a strong performance from McLaren and its recent upgrades.
Key qualifying results:
- Lando Norris claimed pole position with a time of 1:27.869.
- Kimi Antonelli qualified second, two tenths behind.
- Oscar Piastri secured third place.
- Charles Leclerc qualified fourth after leading practice.
- Max Verstappen was fifth, followed by George Russell in sixth and Lewis Hamilton in seventh.
Norris expressed his satisfaction following the session, stating, “I feel very good. I’m very happy for the team,” while also acknowledging the efforts that went into the recent upgrades that contributed to their performance. George Russell noted that it was surprising how much McLaren and Ferrari had improved, saying, “Pretty surprising how big a jump McLaren and Ferrari made. That’s pretty damn impressive.” This sentiment reflects a growing recognition of McLaren’s advancements and highlights potential shifts in team dynamics moving forward.
The qualifying format for this season involves 22 cars competing, with six eliminated during SQ1 and SQ2. Notably, Lewis Hamilton managed to qualify seventh despite setting faster times in earlier sessions, which raises questions about Mercedes’ overall pace compared to their rivals. Meanwhile, Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten positions.
As observers look ahead to the race weekend, speculation surrounds whether McLaren can maintain this momentum against a traditionally strong Mercedes team that introduced fewer upgrades than its competitors this season. The next race will provide further insights into how these developments impact team performances throughout the remainder of F1 2026.