Max Verstappen moved a step closer to securing his third consecutive victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Saturday, extending his impressive streak in Formula 1 qualifying.
The three-time reigning F1 champion clinched his seventh consecutive pole position, marking his first at Miami. Despite facing challenges in qualifying during the previous two races at Hard Rock Stadium, Verstappen emerged victorious in both.
Reflecting on his performance, Verstappen expressed his struggle to maintain consistency with the car and tire feeling over a single lap at Miami. However, he acknowledged the team’s efforts, stating that securing pole position was paramount.
Verstappen’s pole-winning run equaled Alain Prost’s record of six consecutive poles to start a season, a feat achieved by Prost in 1993. Following his triumph, Verstappen relayed a positive message to his team, emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum.
Starting the day with a victory in the sprint race, Verstappen concluded with his 38th career pole position. With a lap time of 1 minute and 27.241 seconds, he outpaced the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr., positioning himself at the front of the grid for Sunday’s race, the first of F1’s three events in the United States this year.
Verstappen has emerged victorious in four out of the first five F1 races this season.
His Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, secured the fourth spot in qualifying, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The McLaren team had hoped to close the gap with Red Bull and Ferrari after bringing upgrades to Miami.
Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth and seventh, respectively, trailed by Nico Hülkenberg of Haas and Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull’s junior team.
However, the session didn’t go well for Tsunoda’s teammate, Daniel Ricciardo. Despite a promising weekend, Ricciardo failed to advance out of the first qualifying group, securing the 18th spot. Due to a grid penalty from the previous race in China, he will start from the back.
American driver Logan Sargeant of Pompano Beach also faced disappointment, qualifying 17th amid uncertainty about his position at Williams.
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen is facing an FIA investigation for unsportsmanlike behavior during the sprint race earlier on Saturday. Magnussen received three penalties during the race and defended his actions, stating that they were all justified.
