Lando Norris secured pole position for the sprint. © APA/afp / CHANDAN KHANNA

"Impressive": Suddenly McLaren is lightning fast

McLaren caused a sensation after a five-week Formula 1 break. World Champion Lando Norris, in first place, and teammate Oscar Piastri, in third, surprised everyone in qualifying for the sprint race (6:00 PM CEST). Even the competition paid tribute.

02 May 2026

From: dpa

“McLaren has made a big step forward, but I felt they didn’t really make the most of their first races of the season. They were always at the front, but they didn’t quite manage to put everything together,” said Ferrari star Charles Leclerc, who finished fourth.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished second between the two McLarens. The Italian Mercedes driver was 0,222 seconds behind Norris (1:27,869 minutes), who won the sprint in Miami in 2025.

McLaren sees “encouraging signs”

“The weekend has only just begun, but we already have some encouraging signs that the upgrades are delivering the expected results,” said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, whose team had a stuttering start in the first year of the rule revolution.

Kimi Antonelli finished second. © APA/afp / CHARLY TRIBALLEAU

The performance of Norris and Piastri, who won the Florida Grand Prix last year, was encouraging. "In terms of lap times, it's a turnaround, but Mercedes was ultimately close. We also saw that Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren have become more competitive." Four-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull will start the 100-kilometer sprint from fifth position.

How big is the jump?

It's the first race weekend after a five-week break. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were cancelled due to the Iran-Iraq War. Formula 1 used the time to pass rule changes, which will take effect for the first time in Miami. The teams, in turn, tried to improve their cars.

“It’s quite surprising how big a leap McLaren and Ferrari have made. It’s really damn impressive,” said Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell. The runner-up in the World Championship standings had to settle for sixth place behind Verstappen.