Miami GP Qualifying: Red Bull's Max Verstappen takes pole for Miami Grand Prix
Max Verstappen, Red Bull's triple world champion, claimed pole position for the Miami Grand Prix on Saturday, marking his sixth consecutive start from the front of the grid this season.
Verstappen's seventh pole in a row, dating back to last year in Abu Dhabi, caps a perfect weekend for the Dutchman, who topped the timesheets in the only practice session and sprint qualifying on Friday before winning the sprint race earlier on Saturday.
The last driver to win the first six pole positions of a season was French great Alain Prost, who did so with Williams in 1993.
Verstappen was joined on the front row by Ferarri driver Charles Leclerc, who finished second in the sprint.
Carlos Sainz, the only driver other than Verstappen to win a race this season, will start third alongside Sergio Perez, the second Red Bull driver.
It will be an all-McLaren third row, with British driver Lando Norris qualifying fifth fastest, just ahead of his Australian teammate Oscar Piastri.
Mercedes will make up row four, with George Russell qualifying seventh and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton eighth.
Verstappen is the only driver to have topped the podium in Miami, and the Dutchman will look to make it a hat-trick on Sunday.
While it has been business as usual on the track, Red Bull has experienced turmoil and distractions this season.
Internal divisions resulting from a female employee's allegations of inappropriate behaviour against team boss Christian Horner, for which he was cleared, loom over the team and have been linked to the impending departure of Formula One's top designer Adrian Newey.
The 65-year-old Briton, whose cars have won 25 drivers' and constructors' championships, sent shockwaves through the paddock earlier this week when he announced his departure, with McLaren boss Zak Brown adding that he believes Newey will be the first of many to leave the energy drink outfit.
Horner has also been in the spotlight for alleged feuds with Verstappen's father Jos and Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko.
After scoring his first points of the season with a fourth-place finish in the sprint, Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was quickly brought back down to earth when he failed to advance beyond the first phase of qualifying.
There was more bad news for the Australian, who will begin last on Sunday due to a three-place penalty carried over from China.
SportsLigue