Max Verstappen: The qualifying result exceeded expectations

      Max Verstappen qualified second in Miami, less than two-tenths behind pole sitter Kimi Antonelli. The four-time world champion dodged questions about his chances of victory but mentioned that thanks to the updates, the car has definitely improved.

      His Red Bull Racing teammate Isaac Hajar clocked in ninth and was nearly a second behind the leader.

      Max Verstappen (2nd): "In the previous races, the car wasn't very good, and I couldn't find the optimal settings. But in the last few weeks, the team has been working hard, preparing updates, and now I feel much more comfortable behind the wheel, and the car has improved.

      Our work has paid off – I feel more comfortable and can attack harder. The updates are working, but starting from the front row is beyond the expectations I had before the weekend began.

      First and foremost, it's important to start well. This year, I haven't had many good starts, but this time I need to try to make sure everything goes well. But let's not forget about the weather factor on race day.

      In the sprint, I was fine with the pace when I found myself on a clear track. But Sunday will be a completely different day."

      Isaac Hajar (9th): "I'm disappointed with this result in qualifying. In the final, I couldn't manage to put in a single good lap.

      On the other hand, the car lacked power on the straights. This issue persisted throughout the session and was beyond my control."