Max to start GP Miami from P1: 'Not the most enjoyable lap'

Published on 04 May 2024 by Florence Cobben

After Max Verstappen won the sprint race earlier this Saturday, the reigning world champion secured the fastest qualifiying lap, making him pole sitter for the race on Sunday. This is his sixth consecutive pole position this season. On the Miami International Autodrome Charles Leclerc drove his Ferarri into second place, while Carlos Sainz took third. It was Max's Oracle Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez and McLaren's Lando Norris who completed the top five. 

"We definitely improved the car", Max explains after qualifying, "But I don't know what it is; every single year that we come here I find it extremely difficult to be consistent. (...) Today it was really about finding that balance. (...) It's not the most enjoyable lap out of my career because of how slippery it is (...) but we are on pole and that's what's important.

The weather at the start of Q1 was promising a nice and sunny session to come. As the lights at the end if the pitlane go green, the track immediately becomes populated with cars. All drivers head out on the soft tyres. After the first fast laps have been set, Max is ahead of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. It is Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Kevin Magnussen and Guanyu Zhou who are at risk of being eliminated.

At fhe end of Q1, Maz is fastest, followed by Perez and Lando Norris, while Ricciardo, Magnussen, Zhou, Valtteri Bottas en Logan Sargeant could hit the showers. Struggling team Alpine turned in a good showing today: Ocon and Pierre Gasly are both through to Q2, with two fast laps. 

At the start of Q2, Max goes out on used soft tyres, alongside teammate Perez. After the first fast laps Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris occupy the top three, and Ocon, Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso and Albon are on the wrong side of the disqualification bar. At the end of Q2 it is Stroll, Gasly, Ocon, Albon and Alonso who the viewers msut say goodbye to, and it is Leclerc, Max and Hamilton in the top three. 

At the start of Q3, Hülkenberg is the first to go out onto the circuit and Norris switches up his strategy by driving on the medium tyres. After the initial laps, Max is first, Charles second, Sainz third and Oscar Piastri fourth. The question remains if anyone can beat Verstappen to be the covetted pole sitter, however either Max nor Leclerc or Sainz improve on their time. Norris climbs to P5, and Perez drives into P4. 

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Results qualifying Miami: