Antonelli and Russell Secure P3 and P5 in Miami GP Qualifying

Antonelli takes P3 and Russell P5 in Miami GP qualifying after a rainy Sprint; weather could play a role in Sunday’s race.

Saturday at the 2025 Miami Grand Prix brought a tale of two halves for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team — strong qualifying performances on one side, and Sprint drama on the other.

Kimi Antonelli continued to impress as he claimed P3 in Grand Prix qualifying — his first ever top-three starting position in a Formula 1 main race. He missed pole by just 0.067 seconds, a narrow margin that followed his standout Sprint Qualifying on Friday, where he secured a sensational pole position and set a new age record.

George Russell had a similarly intense day. Despite lacking confidence over a single lap, he delivered a solid performance to qualify P5, less than two tenths behind pole. In a field this close, that margin was razor-thin, and Russell’s consistency throughout the season remains a cornerstone for the team.

The turning point came during the Sprint. With the track wet, all drivers started on intermediates, but as conditions improved, the switch to slick tyres became inevitable. Mercedes opted for a later stop, and it was during this transition that Antonelli collided with Max Verstappen, who had just been released unsafely from the Red Bull pit box into Kimi’s path.

Verstappen was handed a 10-second penalty by the FIA for the unsafe release, which dropped him to the back of the order. Red Bull acknowledged the mistake, attributing it to human error in the pit crew. Antonelli, for his part, clarified that he did not blame Max, explaining that the Dutchman was simply following team orders.

The Sprint result still netted Mercedes seven points, keeping them second in the Constructors' Championship, behind McLaren. The Woking outfit tightened its grip on the lead with a 1-2 finish — Norris and Piastri locking out the top two positions. Mercedes, without a podium in Miami since 2022, now looks ahead to Sunday with both cars starting in strong positions: P3 and P5.

There may be one more variable to shake up the race: the weather. Forecasts predict mixed conditions and possible thunderstorms, potentially throwing a wrench into the most carefully planned strategies. For a team like Mercedes — sharp, experienced, and adaptive — such unpredictability might just offer a path to the podium.

Source: mercedes-benz.com