'Finally': Ricciardo stunner as Aussie blitzes giants, teammate in wild ...

Daniel Ricciardo has staged a stunning resurgence at the Miami Grand Prix, qualifying with the fourth-fastest time for Saturday’s sprint race.

The Australian was one of the star performers of the session, making it into the final qualifying session for the first time this season, before logging a rapid time in his improved VCARB.

The only drivers quicker than Ricciardo were reigning champion Max Verstappen, who claimed pole for the sprint race, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.

“What a performance from Daniel Ricciardo, finally he’s showing us what he’s capable of,” F1 commentator Martin Brundle said on Sky Sports.

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By comparison, RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda was 15th, while neither Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell made it into Q3.

Ricciardo was also quicker than Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, and the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

“I’ve been able to do it before, so I know it’s in me. Did I expect to do a second row start? Probably not that good,” Riccardo laughed after the session.

“It was wild.

“I’m very proud of what I did today ... things are definitely turning around.

“It’s just so nice starting towards the front.”

Speaking after the session, Verstappen confessed he was surprised to have clinched pole.

“It felt really terrible. Maybe that last session was just incredibly difficult to get the tyres to work,” the Red Bull driver said.

“Somehow we were first. Of course, I happily take it.

“But it didn’t feel enjoyable out there to drive for whatever reason because in practice it felt really, really nice, I was very comfortable and confident, qualifying, not so much.

“But somehow we ended up in first. I don’t know what happened to the other cars on that last lap.”

Meanwhile, Russell confessed the Mercedes team needed to resolve its qualifying woes after another disappointing afternoon.

“We need to work overnight and make some improvements for the main Qualifying,” the British driver said.

“I’ve got no doubt we will move forward in the Sprint. We need to try and get on top of our Qualifying woes. It’s always difficult to fight with the cars ahead when we have started on the backfoot.”

The Miami Sprint gets underway on Sunday morning at 2am AEST.

Sprint Qualifying result - top 10

1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull

2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

3) Sergio Perez, Red Bull

4) Daniel Ricciardo, RB

5) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari

6) Oscar Piastri, McLaren

7) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin

8) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

9) Lando Norris, McLaren

10) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas