MIAMI, Fla. — Max Verstappen continues to make strides, and as the qualifying session for the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix wrapped up, he found himself in a familiar celebration spot.
In pole position.
The Red Bull driver initially recorded the quickest time in the first qualifying segment on Saturday but dropped to P5 after the second. Yet, as the clock ran down, Verstappen managed to secure the necessary speed on his final lap, clinching pole ahead of Randorori and Kimian Toneri.
“Aside from the entry to Turn 1, yes,” Verstappen noted during a FIA press conference. “It was quite challenging to get the tires in the right window throughout the lap. Looking back, I didn’t want to have that oversteer moment at the entry, but I felt more comfortable as the lap progressed.”
“Of course, I’m thrilled to be on pole. I think each segment—Q1, Q2, Q3—was about refining and slightly improving, which is what you aim for.”
When asked about his improvement from the first lap to the second in the third segment, Verstappen mentioned he had picked up crucial time in various sections of the track.
“A little in Turns 7–8, some in the second division, and just a touch in the final corner. Just bits here and there,” he explained.
The team equipped Verstappen with an upgraded floor in Miami to enhance performance alongside the McLarens. Asked if the new floor was delivering as expected, Verstappen acknowledged some “limits” in the RB21 but felt the one-lap pace was “decent” for him.
“We’re still dealing with some car limitations, but our lap times were pretty solid. Looking at cornering, it’s been slightly off this week.”
“And, of course, McLaren and Mercedes have new engines, which usually means a bit more power than older engines.”
“But things seem to be improving. Long runs are another matter, though. Tires can get extremely hot here. Plus, we don’t know what the weather will do tomorrow. Colder conditions would be preferable.”
Despite finding the performance he needed for pole today, Verstappen and Red Bull understand that to secure another championship, they’ll need to dig deeper.
“We need to minimize mistakes and boost our performance. It sounds simple, but extracting that speed isn’t easy,” he remarked. “We’ll keep pushing and trying to enhance the car’s speed.”
Today, Verstappen managed to find enough speed to top the charts.
But tomorrow brings a new day here in Miami.
