Max Verstappen conquered his sixth consecutive pole position in the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship at the Miami Grand Prix. He outperformed his rivals Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz with a lap time of 1:27.241s. Track conditions proved challenging, with high temperatures and a slippery surface affecting the drivers’ performance. Surprisingly, the soft tires did not provide an advantage over the mediums, making the session difficult for the drivers to set the grid for Sunday’s race.
Verstappen entered the qualifying session after a Sprint victory, although he expressed dissatisfaction with the balance of his Red Bull RB20. However, he quickly set the pace in Q1 and regained the top position. Leclerc, from Ferrari, was the first to break the 1:28 barrier, with Norris from McLaren also putting in a strong performance. Sergio Perez initially led the qualifying but ended up struggling for pole position after a disappointing Sprint.
Valtteri Bottas, Logan Sargeant, and Daniel Ricciardo were among the drivers eliminated in Q1. Traffic became a problem at the penultimate corner, hindering Kevin Magnussen’s progress. Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu had the slowest time in Q1. In Q2, Leclerc maintained the lead, while Verstappen climbed to fifth place. The pace improved compared to Friday’s session, thanks to Leclerc’s time. Aston Martin struggled, with Lance Stroll in 11th and Fernando Alonso in 15th.
In Q3, the top 10 competed for pole position. Verstappen set an impressive lap time of 1:27.241s, securing the pole position. Leclerc, Sainz, and Perez were in contention but couldn’t improve their times. Verstappen, although not completely satisfied with his car, felt that the balance was improving for Sunday’s race. Leclerc and Sainz are seen as Verstappen’s main challengers, with Perez and Norris completing the top five. Piastri, Russell, Hamilton, Hulkenberg, and Tsunoda completed the top 10.
