'Max did a Max': Lando Norris accepts surprise Miami pole defeat

Lando Norris has accepted a surprise pole position defeat to Max Verstappen ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, outlining that "Max did a Max lap".  McLaren entered qualifying as the clear favourites, something which was further emphasised after Oscar Piastri and Norris finished one-two in the first two stages of the session. However, Verstappen, once again, stunned the Woking-based team, to defeat Norris by 0.065s to secure a third pole of the season. Verstappen made a mistake at the first corner on his best lap but still found remarkable time, with Norris accepting that the Dutchman was the better driver in qualifying.  He jokingly hoped Verstappen becoming a father would have slowed him down, but it was to no avail. "Yeah, congrats to Max, especially being a dad. I was hoping it was going to slow him down a little bit, but he clearly didn't," joked Norris.  "I'm happy with today, happy with the progress I've been making with the car, with myself. Max did a Max lap once again, and I can't fault him, so happy. And, yeah, excited for tomorrow." Norris also made an error on his final qualifying lap, with the Briton having locked-up at Turn 17. Despite this, the McLaren driver is starting to gain confidence in the MCL39. "I did, yeah," agreed Norris. "I think even that lap, it's all shoulda woulda coulda stuff, but I didn't deliver. The pace was there, the car has been still feeling good.  "I've been feeling better than I have done over the last few weekends. I've still not put it together. But it is what it is, Max on pole, I'm P2 so, yeah, ready to see what we can do into turn one."