McLaren and Ferrari brought upgrade packages to Miami that produced a measurable swing in single-lap pace, with Lando Norris taking Sprint pole with a 1:27.869 to end Mercedes’ run of poles and wins this season. Andrea Kimi Antonelli set a 1:28.091 to split the McLarens and Oscar Piastri was third on 1:28.108. The top five in SQ3 were tightly packed and the session featured interrupted runs and incidents, including Lance Stroll’s heavy lock-up that brought yellow flags and a number of eliminations in SQ1.

George Russell said he was “taken aback by the ‘impressive’ step forward from McLaren and Ferrari” after he could only manage sixth in Sprint Qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix, a result that exposed cracks in Mercedes’ one-lap dominance. Russell finished 0.402 seconds behind teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli and 0.624 seconds off Lando Norris. He blamed overheating tires, a lack of balance through the twisty middle sector and Miami’s hotter conditions. Mercedes also had on-track trouble during the session, delaying Russell’s SQ1 start to work on his power unit after unusual turbo noises, leaving limited opportunity to recover before the Sprint race.

Mercedes arrived with only modest updates and is planning a larger package for the next round in Canada. Former champion Jenson Button said Russell appeared downbeat after qualifying. Teams and pundits suggested the Sprint result was an early sign the championship picture could tighten if rival upgrades continue to pay off, and Mercedes faces pressure after three rounds in which it had previously swept poles and wins.