Formula 1 24 Hours

Last updated: May 3, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

Miami GP Qualifying & Technical Scrutiny

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli secured his third consecutive pole position at the Miami Grand Prix, narrowly edging out Max Verstappen at the Miami International Autodrome during the primary qualifying session. The performance marked a significant turnaround for the Red Bull team, which had struggled with pace in previous rounds like Japan, prompting Verstappen to cite a "hidden factor" aiding their recovery to second place on the grid. However, the technical review process immediately followed, as Red Bull's reserve driver, Isack Hadjar, faces exclusion from qualifying results after his RB22 failed post-session scrutineering due to a breach of Formula 1 technical regulations regarding illegal component specifications.

Regulatory Adjustments & Sprint Race Incidents

The Miami weekend provided drivers with their initial opportunity to assess recent technical regulation tweaks aimed at curbing erratic energy management, though Lando Norris expressed skepticism that drivers will avoid penalties when attempting to maximize performance following the adjustments. Furthermore, the preceding sprint race qualifying saw drama unfold for Williams driver Alex Albon, whose attempt to strike a track-limits infraction ruling came too late in the session, evidenced by the world TV feed briefly showing Liam Lawson waiting in his car after the relevant window had closed due to elapsed time.