Where Mercedes dominated the first three Grands Prix, McLaren and Ferrari suddenly seemed to take charge during the sprint qualifying in Miami. Antonelli managed to prevent a one-two for the papayas, but George Russell only managed sixth place on Friday. The Englishman is impressed by the progress his competitors have made. “They were faster than us,” he judged afterwards.
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Both McLaren and Ferrari brought a significant upgrade package to Miami. The SF-26 has no less than eleven upgrades, including the now well-known ‘Macarena’ rear wing, a design that Red Bull has since copied on the RB22. Ultimately, however, it was McLaren – which traditionally thrives at the Miami International Autodrome – that secured pole position. Lando Norris claimed P1, followed by Antonelli and teammate Oscar Piastri.
‘Faster than us’
Meanwhile, Russell was pushed back to sixth place, also behind Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. “It’s quite surprising how big the leap McLaren and Ferrari have made is,” the Brit sighed afterwards. He called the speed of both teams ‘impressive’ and even stated that Mercedes fell short compared to the competition from Woking and Maranello. “We knew they would probably close the gap, but they were simply faster than us.”
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“Honestly, Miami is not my favorite circuit, especially not under these hot conditions,” Russell added. “My tires often overheated in the twisty middle section and I struggled to find the right balance. I don’t have an ideal starting position, and sprint races usually offer little overtaking opportunities,” he concluded dejectedly. “Hopefully, I don’t lose too many positions at the start. After that, we’ll see what’s possible.”
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