Max takes pole for Miami GP: 'I was improving every run'

Published on 04 May 2025 by Florence Cobben

Max Verstappen has claimed pole position for the Miami Grand Prix. During an exciting qualifying, the four-time world champion has managed to take his third pole position of the season. Lando Norris (McLaren) and Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) came close to Max's time, but will start tomorrow's race from second and third place.

“It’s been a great qualifying. We improved the car a tiny amount as well, which helped me to rotate it a bit better. And honestly, (during) Q1, Q2, Q3 (I was) improving every run, trying to find a bit more the limit. I had a tiny moment on my final lap into turn one, so I lost a bit of time there. But around here it is very complicated with the tyres over a lap, but at the end it worked out well. I’m very happy to be on pole.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s race, the Dutchman is cautious but optimistic: “Race pace… I don’t know. We have to wait and see for the weather. But it’s the best starting position, that’s always positive. And then the race is, of course, a whole different story, but of course we’ll try to maximize everything we can.”

On 16:15 local time, the lights turned green over the Miami Grand Prix, signalling the start of qualifying. On the dry Miami International Autodrome, all twenty drivers take to the track. Max sets his first flying lap, a 1:27.5, putting him just behind McLaren-driver Oscar Piastri. The Australian championship leader kicked off his qualifying with a 1:27.3 lap time.

In the moments after the initial run, all drivers focus on improving their times. So Miami's sprint polesitter Antonelli briefly occupies first place with a 1:27.0. Max, too, sets more and more confident lap times. He takes pole position with a 1:26.8. In the closing moments of Q1, the Dutchman watches comfortably on from the pitbox, while the other drivers stay out on track. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) has a brief foray into the elimination zone, but ultimately it’s Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and Oliver Bearman (Haas) who are the first to exit stage left.

After a promising Q1, Max is back with a vengeance for Q2. With a 1:26.6 laptime, the reigning world champion immediately makes a statement. As the dust on the first flying laps settles, Max is in fourth, behind the McLarens and Antonelli. The gap to Piastri is a little under four tenths. Max fails to improve in the second run, ultimately finishing Q2 in fifth. George Russell just manages to duck into Q3, but it’s curtains for his old teammate Lewis Hamilton. The British driver makes it no further than P12. He’s joined in his early exit by Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), Jack Doohan (Alpine) and Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls).

The chips are down for the last stretch of qualifying. Max immediately impresses with a blisteringly fast time. With a lap time of 1:26.492, he becomes the man to beat. Piastri comes seventeen-thousandths short of Max’s time, and Norris just three-thousandths. The top three seem to be seperated by a hair’s breadth.

In the last and decisive run, Max proves his mettle. With a laptime of 1:26.2, he takes preliminary pole. Norris and Antonelli come close, with just a 65- and 67-thousandths distance to Max’s time. However, it’s the four-time world champion who gets the coveted first position in tomorrow’s race, claiming the 43rd pole of his career, and his third pole of the season.

Contest Miami GP: win a by Max Verstappen signed Red Bull Racing 2025 cap!

Results qualifying Miami: