Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli earned his third consecutive pole by edging Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc during Saturday’s session ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

Antonelli, who leads the drivers’ standings, posted a time of 1 minute, 27.798 seconds that held up even though the 19-year-old Italian was unable to improve upon the time on his final lap at the Miami International Autodrome. Verstappen threatened but ultimately finished a little more than a tenth of a second behind.

Reigning world champion Lando Norris will start fourth for McLaren, followed by Antonelli’s teammate George Russell.

With Sunday’s forecast calling for heavy thunderstorms and rain, Formula 1 moved the start of the race up three hours from 4 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. following discussions with the FIA.

“This decision has been taken to ensure the least amount of disruption to the race, and to ensure the maximum possible window to complete the Grand Prix in the best conditions and to prioritize the safety of drivers, fans, teams and staff,” read a statement by the FIA, Formula 1 and the Miami Grand Prix.

Even with the new start time, weather could prove to be a significant factor in the 57-lap race. According to F1 rules, a race can have a maximum active run time of two hours, and Sunday’s race could see multiple start and stops.

The Miami GP follows a lengthy break in the schedule with races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia canceled due to the war in the Middle East. It also saw several teams introduce significant upgrades as they continue to adjust to the 2026 regulations.

Verstappen qualified and finished fifth in Saturday’s Sprint and has shown increasing pace throughout the week.

“I think over those last few weeks the team has been pushing flat-out to try and bring upgrades to the car, and making me feel more comfortable with a lot of things in the car,” Verstappen said.

“It really pays off. I feel more in control of the car again, then I can push a bit more, then the upgrades are working. To be on the front row is way better than I expected heading into the weekend.”

Verstappen said his first priority is to get off to a good start on Sunday, hopefully before weather impacts the race.

“We’ll try to have a look at that, for sure, and see what the weather will do tomorrow, but I’m already very happy with where we are,” Verstappen said. “From here there’s like light at the end of the tunnel, and we can just push on and try to close the gap further.”

He’ll have to find a way past Antonelli, who rebounded from a poor start and a time penalty during the Sprint to earn the pole for Sunday’s race.

“I’m super happy with the recovery,” Antonelli said. “This weekend has obviously been a little bit more difficult for us, but we’re keeping all this together and we’re maximizing the performance.”

–Field Level Media

Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones agreed to a restructured deal for the 2026 season, NFL Network reported Saturday.

Jones’ deal was lowered to $1.5 million base pay with $1.145 million of it being guaranteed. He played in just three games last season due to a season-ending LCL tear in his right knee.

Jones, 24, was due to receive $3.674 million in 2026 after hitting an NFL escalator by playing in over 35% of his team’s offensive snaps in two of his first three seasons. Jones qualified via the Proven Performance Escalator, which pertains to fourth-year salary for players on rookie contracts who weren’t selected in the first round.

Jones initially signed a four-year, $4.63 million rookie contract after being a fourth-round pick in 2023 out of Ohio State.

But each of his three NFL seasons have ended with an injury and Jones has played in just 24 games with 20 starts.

He started nine games as a rookie before sustaining a season-ending MCL tear in his right knee. In 2024, he played in 10 games before a fractured left fibula ended his season.

–Field Level Media

Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. left Saturday’s game at the Colorado Rockies with left hamstring tightness.

Acuna grabbed at his hamstring and pulled up when attempting to run out a grounder he hit in the second inning in Denver. He limped off the field under his own power after being examined by the team’s medical staff.

The 2023 National League MVP, Acuna entered the day hitting .248 with two homers and nine RBIs in 33 games. He led off the game with a single and scored when Drake Baldwin followed with a home run.

Acuna was replaced in right field by Eli White, who is hitting .186 with two homers and seven RBIs in 19 games.

–Field Level Media