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Lando Norris became the first non-Mercedes driver to claim a pole position in the 2026 F1 season at the Miami Grand Prix. He set a benchmark time of 1:27.869 during Sprint Qualifying on May 1, 2026.

Qualifying results:

• Kimi Antonelli qualified second, two tenths behind Norris.
• Oscar Piastri took third place in qualifying.
• Charles Leclerc qualified fourth after leading the practice session.
• Max Verstappen qualified fifth, showing improved form for Red Bull.
• George Russell struggled and qualified sixth.
• Lewis Hamilton qualified seventh in the second Ferrari.
• Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly qualified eighth and tenth respectively.
• Lance Stroll did not set a time due to an early spin.
• Fernando Alonso’s time was unrepresentative, being 10 seconds slower than the Cadillacs ahead.

Norris expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I feel very good. I’m very happy for the team.” He acknowledged the significant expectations tied to McLaren’s upgrades. “It’s always a lot of expectations. A lot of work has gone into trying to bring these upgrades,” he added. His teammate also noted the impressive leap made by both McLaren and Ferrari this season. George Russell remarked, “Pretty surprising how big a jump McLaren and Ferrari made. That’s pretty damn impressive.”

This achievement marks a notable moment in the ongoing 2026 season, as Mercedes had dominated qualifying until now. The performance of McLaren’s upgrades played a crucial role in this shift. However, questions remain about whether this trend will continue throughout the rest of the season.