World champion Lando Norris achieved a significant milestone by claiming the first pole position for McLaren in the 2026 Formula 1 season during the Sprint Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix on May 2. This victory disrupted the dominant qualifying streak of Mercedes, marking a pivotal moment as the season resumed after a five-week break.

As teams introduced various upgrades, Norris set the fastest lap of 1:27.869, showcasing McLaren’s improved performance. The championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, secured second place, just two tenths behind Norris, while his teammate George Russell struggled to find pace, finishing sixth.

Key highlights of the qualifying session include:

• Oscar Piastri took third, signaling McLaren's resurgence.
• Charles Leclerc of Ferrari finished fourth, having led in earlier practice sessions.
• Max Verstappen placed fifth, with Lewis Hamilton in seventh.
• Isack Hadjar of Red Bull ended ninth, sandwiched between Alpine drivers Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly.

Aston Martin faced challenges, with Lance Stroll failing to set a time due to a spin and Fernando Alonso finishing far down the order.

After the session, Norris expressed his satisfaction:

I feel very good. I'm very happy for the team... Everything felt better. It felt a little bit more like last year.

With this performance, McLaren appears to be back in contention, hinting at an exciting season ahead.