Max Verstappen showcased his dominance in Formula 1 qualifying once again at the Miami Grand Prix, securing his seventh consecutive pole position. This achievement brings him closer to a potential third consecutive win at the event. Despite not clinching the top starting spot in the previous two races at Hard Rock Stadium, Verstappen managed to emerge victorious.
Verstappen's pole-winning streak now stands at seven, a feat that ties him with Alain Prost, who achieved a similar record in 1993 by securing six consecutive poles at the start of the season. The Red Bull driver expressed satisfaction with his performance, signaling a desire to maintain the momentum going forward.
On Saturday, Verstappen also triumphed in the sprint race before clinching his 38th career pole with a remarkable lap time of 1 minute, 27.241 seconds. This stellar performance placed him ahead of the Ferraris driven by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr., setting the stage for Verstappen to lead the pack in Sunday's race, the first of three F1 events scheduled in the United States this year.
Verstappen's success has been evident throughout the season, with four wins out of the first five races. His teammate at Red Bull, Sergio Perez, secured the fourth spot in qualifying, followed by the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Despite upgrades aimed at enhancing competitiveness, the McLaren team faced disappointment as they aimed to challenge Red Bull and Ferrari.
Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth and seventh, respectively, with Nico Hülkenberg of Haas and Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull's junior team rounding out the top ten. However, it was a challenging session for Tsunoda's teammate Daniel Ricciardo, who failed to advance out of the first qualifying group after a promising start to the weekend.
American driver Logan Sargeant of Pompano Beach also encountered a setback, qualifying 17th at his home track. With his position at Williams potentially at risk, Sargeant expressed disappointment upon learning that he did not progress to the next stage of qualifying.
As the excitement builds for the upcoming race, Verstappen's pole position sets the stage for a thrilling battle on the track as the F1 season continues to unfold.
Source: AP F1
