Sun May 04 19:50:00 UTC 2025: ## New Dad Verstappen on Pole as Miami Grand Prix Gears Up for Thrilling Race
**Miami Gardens, FL** – The Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix is set for another exciting race, with new father Max Verstappen starting on pole position for Red Bull. Verstappen’s strong showing comes just days after welcoming a daughter with partner Kelly Piquet.
McLaren’s Lando Norris will start second, fresh off his Sprint race victory on Saturday. His teammate, Oscar Piastri – currently leading the drivers’ standings – will start fourth. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, at just 18 years old, will start third, having made history as the youngest driver ever to win pole position for a Sprint race.
The race, the first of three US F1 events this year, is expected to be a nail-biter. Despite earlier showers, sunshine is returning, though an 80% chance of rain remains during the race itself. Drivers expressed their excitement, with George Russell calling it a “crazy race” and Pierre Gasly hoping for a win to celebrate.
This year’s race also marks a milestone for women in F1, with Laura Mueller serving as Haas F1’s first female race engineer. Mueller, partnered with driver Esteban Ocon, has a long and impressive history in motorsport.
Adding to the spectacle, the drivers’ parade featured ten life-sized Lego F1 cars, each comprised of nearly 400,000 pieces. Lewis Hamilton called it the “most fun drivers’ parade we’ve ever had.”
All eyes are on Kimi Antonelli, who impressed with a record-breaking lap in his first Miami race appearance. While facing stiff competition from Verstappen, Norris, and Piastri, Antonelli is seen by some as a potential rising star.
The Miami Grand Prix begins at 4 p.m. ET and can be watched on ABC and ESPN, with live streaming available on ESPN+ and F1 TV Pro. A pre-race show starts at 2:30 p.m. ET.
First Piper 