After the unexpected spring break and a whole month without Grands Prix, Formula 1 racing finally returns this weekend. Miami is the setting for this fourth round of the championship and also the second sprint weekend of the year. Lando Norris secured sprint pole on Friday in the lead-up to Saturday’s event. Max Verstappen reached SQ3 but ultimately had to settle for fifth place.

Relive the sprint qualifying for the Miami GP below:

SQ1: Norris fastest, Verstappen P7

The circuit is released and the first cars head out on track. The sprint has its own shortened qualifying procedure, divided into three sections. SQ1, SQ2, and SQ3 last 12, 10, and 8 minutes respectively, with seven-minute breaks in between. Additionally, drivers are required to use new rubber in each session; medium tires in SQ1 and SQ2 and soft tires for SQ3.

Reigning world champion Lando Norris is the first to attempt a fast lap in SQ1. However, his first attempt is thwarted by Lance Stroll, who went off in the last sector of the track. A brief yellow flag is waved, forcing Norris to abort his fast lap. Charles Leclerc, Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen are unaffected and shoot to the top of the timing sheets in that order.

Norris recovers and sets the fastest time: 1:28.723. Stroll has meanwhile parked his AMR26 in the garage; he will not return to action. Leclerc must concede one hundredth to Norris and takes second place, four tenths ahead of Oscar Piastri. The checkered flag ends this first session. Max Verstappen is fast enough with one lap for seventh place.

Eliminated in SQ1: Lawson, Ocon, Pérez, Bottas, Alonso, Stroll (no time)

SQ2: Ferrari versus McLaren

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli is the first to go for a fast lap in SQ2. The young Italian can hold his honor in Miami on Friday. Last year, in his rookie season, he claimed pole position for the sprint race in Florida. However, he loses a lot of time in the last lap and is immediately improved upon by teammate George Russell. Max Verstappen pushes Antonelli back to third place before Leclerc, Piastri, and Hamilton claim P1, P2, and P3 respectively. Norris struggles in his first fast lap due to a drift in the chicane.

Verstappen also dips under Antonelli’s time. He finishes P5 and qualifies for the final session of the day. Ferrari looks strong at the Miami International Autodrome. Can the Scuderia claim sprint pole in SQ3?

Eliminated in SQ2: Bortoleto, Hülkenberg, Bearman, Albon, Sainz, Lindblad

SQ3: Norris claims sprint pole

With four minutes left on the clock, the first cars head out for SQ3. On soft tires, drivers get one chance to go for pole position for the Miami sprint race. George Russell is the first to start a fast lap while teammate Antonelli is just getting on track. Ferrari and McLaren are immediately faster than the Englishman; Lando Norris sets the fastest time, followed by Charles Leclerc.

Max Verstappen is quick in the last sector and briefly holds P3. Antonelli and Piastri still have to cross the line. The Australian briefly completes a one-two for McLaren, but Antonelli records the fastest second sector. Ultimately, the Italian must settle for P2 and Norris definitively takes sprint pole. Max Verstappen ends up in P5.