Max Verstappen Takes Pole Position For Miami Grand Prix

Red Bull's Max Verstappen grabbed pole position for Sunday's Miami Grand Prix with a blistering fastest lap of 1:26.204 in qualifying on Saturday. The Dutchman was 0.065 of a second ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris with 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes again impressing as he powered into third place on the grid. There was more disappointment for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in his first season with Ferrari as he was eliminated in Q2 and the Briton will start in 12th place.

Verstappen's aggressive approach in the first sector of his lap paid off and gives him a chance for a third win in four years at Miami.

"It has been a great qualifying. We improved the car a tiny amount too. Q1, Q2, Q3 -- just improving every run, trying to find the limit. It worked out well. I'm very happy to be on pole," said the Dutchman.

"Race pace, I don't know, we have to wait and see with the weather, to be honest the colder the better. No one has really done any long running with the sprint race here."

The Dutchman announced on Friday that he had become a father for the first time with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet giving birth to their first daughter, Lily.

That has prompted some pundit speculation that he may slow down, reflecting a frequently heard belief of some in the sport that drivers can lose their edge with fatherhood.

It is not a opinion that the Dutchman has much time for.

"I don't listen to these kind of silly things," he said.

"I just do my thing. I think there enough racing drivers in the past that have been world champions even after having kids. Honestly, I don't even know where that comes from."

A 'Max lap'

Norris, who won the sprint race earlier in the day to close the gap on championship leader and teammate