In the final top 10 shootout at the Miami Autodrome, Max Verstappen secured pole position with a remarkable lap, despite struggling with his car’s handling. His closest competitors, including McLaren’s Lando Norris, also faced challenges in improving their times, even with the advantage of softer tires.
Norris, who seemed poised for another sprint pole after setting the fastest time in the second qualifying session (SQ2), ultimately fell short, with Verstappen’s pole-winning time being faster than Norris’s SQ2 effort.
Verstappen managed to edge out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by four tenths of a second, with his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez trailing a further tenth behind Leclerc. Verstappen expressed surprise over his pole position, as his car felt difficult to handle during the qualifying session.
Despite feeling confident after a strong practice session on Friday morning, Verstappen’s confidence waned during qualifying, especially as Norris consistently outperformed him in the earlier sessions.
Verstappen’s former teammate Daniel Ricciardo made a notable comeback after a challenging start to the 2024 season, securing the fourth position for Red Bull Racing.
Verstappen’s unexpected pole position highlights the unpredictability of qualifying sessions, with drivers facing various challenges in optimizing their performance, as evidenced by Norris’s inability to convert his strong practice pace into pole position.
