Lando Norris put on a masterclass in Miami, snatching sprint pole position and breaking Mercedes' stranglehold on qualifying in the 2026 Formula 1 season. The McLaren driver delivered a stunning lap of 1m 27.869s in the upgraded MCL40, edging out championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli by a decisive two-tenths of a second.

The Miami International Autodrome was buzzing as Norris ended Mercedes' perfect qualifying streak, proving that McLaren's upgrades are the real deal. Teammate Oscar Piastri will start right behind in third, setting up a promising race for the papaya-colored squad. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc lines up fourth, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen rounding out the top five.

Further back, championship contender George Russell could only manage sixth for Mercedes, while Lewis Hamilton—now in Ferrari red—starts seventh. The top ten is completed by Franco Colapinto, Isack Hadjar, and Pierre Gasly, all eager to make moves in the sprint.

The midfield is packed with drama too. Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg qualified 11th and 12th, while Haas's Oliver Bearman slots into 13th. Williams' Alexander Albon had a tough break—his times were deleted for exceeding track limits, dropping him from 14th to 19th. That promotes teammate Carlos Sainz to 14th, ahead of Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson.

Esteban Ocon starts 17th for Haas, while Cadillac's Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas line up 18th and 20th. Aston Martin continues to struggle: Fernando Alonso is stuck in 21st, and Lance Stroll failed to complete a single lap.

With the sprint race set to ignite action under the Miami sun, all eyes will be on Norris to see if he can convert this pole into a victory and shake up the championship standings.