F1 Qualifying Result: Antonelli storms to pole in Miami as McLaren struggle

The session kicked off with Sergio Perez in the Cadillac setting the quickest time of 1:32.1. However, the Mexican would see his time usurped by Oliver Bearman and Arvid Lindblad. The pecking order again would swiftly change, with several drivers hitting the track.

Max Verstappen would set the early benchmark in Q1 with a staggering 1:29.00, which several drivers fell short of. With under seven minutes to go in the first part of qualifying, Gabriel Bortoleto, who had work going on his Audi, hit the track. With the timing pylon constantly changing, Kimi Antonelli would finally clock the quickest time with a 1:28.653.

The first part of qualifying would, however, see Bortoleto, Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso and Arvid Lindblad eliminated.

The second part of qualifying continued with the remaining 16 drivers battling it out for a place in Q3, with Isack Hadjar the first to hit the track. The second session of the day unfolded in a relatively similar manner to Q1, albeit the McLaren team a little off the pace of the front runners.

Antonelli again clocked the quickest time ahead of Hamilton. However, in the final push runs, Verstappen in the Red Bull roared to the top of the timing sheet with a staggering 1:28.116.

The final part of qualifying was nothing short of a spectacle, with the timing sheet changing with each lap. Piastri saw his early marker eclipsed by Norris. Max Verstappen would quickly displace the McLaren pair at the top of the timing tower. Leclerc also pushed Verstappen down the order; however, it was Antonelli who delivered a statement lap in the initial runs with a time of 1:27.798.

The final push laps from every driver proved not enough to challenge Antonelli, who claimed his third pole position of the season.

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