Formula One Preview: Miami Grand Prix
- Peter Johnson
- Apr 30
- 6 min read
Written by Peter Johnson, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
Formula One returns from a five-week hiatus with its second sprint weekend of the season. Will Kimi Antonelli extend his championship lead at a venue where he impressed last year?
Circuit Guide
The Miami International Autodrome became the 11th venue in the United States to host a World Championship Grand Prix when it joined the calendar in 2022.
Like many of its predecessors, such as Detroit, Dallas and Caesar’s Palace, it has drawn its fair share of criticism, but with a contract in place until at least 2041, the circuit will be a staple of the F1 calendar for a further 15 years.
Winding around the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, the 19-corner lap kicks off with a series of sweeping turns and several high-speed direction changes.
An ever-tightening left-handed complex of Turns 6, 7 and 8 feeds the drivers onto the long back straight, views of which are perhaps best enjoyed from the cable car that crosses the circuit over Turn 9.
The heavy braking zone of Turn 11 offers the best chance of an overtake, before the long left-handed Turn 12 around the ironically iconic fake marina.
The Turn 13-16 complex that winds under the overhead interstate is arguably the most maligned section of track on the current calendar, with a fiddly little chicane and the tight left-hander at Turn 16 having, over the years, proven effective at spreading battling cars out enough to prevent a potential overtake down the circuit’s longest straight.
It has to be said, though, that the long stretch down the back straight did provide ample entertainment in last year’s LEGO car race.
The lap concludes with a hairpin at Turn 17 and a sweeping left-right onto the main straight, making up all 3.363 mi (5.412 km) of the Miami International Autodrome.
Weather Forecast
It’s going to be a toasty weekend in Florida, with ample opportunity across Friday and Saturday to catch a suntan down at the fake marina.
Temperatures will reach 32 degrees Celsius on Saturday afternoon for the sprint race and main qualifying session, and while temperatures of 31 degrees Celsius are forecast for race day, there is a 60% chance of rain by lights out at 16:00 local time (21:00 BST).
Major Talking Points
Regulation tweaks mean a longer practice session: Following a series of discussions with stakeholders, including the 11 teams, the FIA has allowed a series of subtle tweaks to the new and rather controversial regulations introduced for 2026.
The most fundamental change reduces the emphasis placed on battery management by increasing the rate at which it can be recharged while at full throttle. This should theoretically reduce the necessity to lift and coast and should also at least somewhat alleviate the issue of closing speeds, which caused Ollie Bearman’s huge shunt at Suzuka.
FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis described the changes as, “an evolution, not a revolution”. Nevertheless, considering the significance of the regulation changes, teams have been afforded an extra 30 minutes of free practice prior to sprint qualifying.
Alonso plans to plough on: With Aston Martin’s calamitous performance so far in 2026, the birth of his first child and no contract for next season, it seemed a perfect storm of factors which would convince Fernando Alonso finally to call it a day. The 44-year-old is currently competing in his 23rd season in F1, after all, having already left the sport once before.
Speaking during F1’s spring hiatus, the two-time world champion said of his potential retirement: “At the moment, I don’t feel it is that time yet. I feel competitive, I feel motivated, I feel happy when I drive.”
Antonelli rewriting the possible: It has been a record-breaking start to 2026 for Kimi Antonelli, who became the youngest Grand Prix pole-sitter, the youngest two-time winner, and the youngest championship leader all within the first three rounds of the season.
George Russell has had his fair share of bad luck, such as technical gremlins during Qualifying in Shanghai and an unfortunately timed safety car in Japan, but insists that he is enjoying the battle with his teammate that surely he never saw coming.
It would take many more events to transpire in Antonelli’s favour for him to be considered a favourite for the title, but the young Italian is beginning to fulfil the reputation of being a generational talent that brought him to F1 at such a young age in the first place.
Verstappen’s closest ally to leave Red Bull: The Red Bull exodus continued in March, with Max Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase agreeing to switch to McLaren for 2028.
“GP”, who has been Verstappen’s engineer since the Dutchman arrived at Red Bull in 2016, will join the constructors’ champions as chief racing officer.
Lambiase spoke to Verstappen prior to his decision, with the four-time world champion understood to be highly supportive of the opportunity. The announcement does little, though, to assuage questions around Verstappen’s future in the sport, with GP the latest in a string of significant departures from Red Bull.
F1’s Turkish delight returns: Beyond the classic circuits which have inhabited the F1 calendar for decades - see the likes of Silverstone, Monza, Spa and Monaco - few tracks are as adored among F1 fans as Istanbul Park. The circuit, which lies 30 kilometres east of Europe’s largest city, first joined the calendar in 2005 and developed a cult status prior to its departure after the 2011 season.
The track returned briefly during the Covid-hit years of 2020 and 2021, with the chaotic 2020 edition going down in history for Lance Stroll’s first career pole position - and the small matter of Lewis Hamilton winning his seventh world title that weekend.
The circuit’s iconic quadruple-apex Turn 8, which has since been imitated at several other tracks across the world, is arguably track architect Hermann Tilke’s single finest piece of work, and will be challenging the drivers for at least the next five years.
Past Miami Grands Prix
Having joined the calendar in 2022, there is only a small sample of past Miami Grands Prix to go on.
Max Verstappen dominated the first couple of events, with his pass for victory on then teammate Sergio Pérez in 2023 kicking off a run of 19 wins in 20 races.
In 2024, it was a breakout moment for Lando Norris, who enjoyed a cheap pit stop under a safety car to inherit the lead from Verstappen and claim his maiden victory.
Last year, it was the turn of Oscar Piastri, who won his fourth race of the season in Miami to extend his championship lead to 16 points.
Miami has also become a popular venue for sprint weekends, holding such races since 2024. Last year’s sprint qualifying provided Kimi Antonelli with his breakout moment, as the young Italian took pole for the sprint. However, he would eventually finish the sprint in seventh, following a poor start and a pitlane collision with Verstappen.
And who could forget the LEGO race, which saw last year’s field take to the track in replicas of their machinery and provided one of the hardest-fought races we’ve ever seen?
Drivers to Watch
Kimi Antonelli: Last year’s sprint qualifying session was the first real glimpse we saw of the Italian talent, snatching sprint pole from Oscar Piastri. 12 months on and Antonelli has added a Grand Prix pole and a couple of race wins to his arsenal, and will look to further his championship lead at a circuit he impressed at last season.
Lewis Hamilton: The seven-time world champion was a long-term advocate of a race in Miami long before it ever came to fruition. Unfortunately for Hamilton, its arrival on the calendar coincided with Mercedes’ slump in 2022, meaning it is the only circuit on the current calendar, and the only track he has ever raced on apart from the Buddh International Circuit, where he has never finished on the podium. Perhaps a resurgent Ferrari will give him the tools to do so this year.
Max Verstappen: He may not have won in Miami since 2023, but it nevertheless feels like a venue at which Max Verstappen has dominated. The Dutchman has led 119 of 228 Grand Prix laps since 2022, and is the only man to lead a lap at all four Miami Grands Prix. Verstappen has historically been the strongest driver at this venue, and if Red Bull have made any advancements in performance since Japan, then expect him to go well again.
Session Times (BST)
To allow teams to familiarise themselves with the comprehensive update to the regulations, Practice has been extended to 90 minutes. The event will then follow the usual sprint weekend structure.
Practice 1 Fri 17:00 - 18:30
Sprint Quali Fri 21:30 - 22:14
Sprint Sat 17:00 - 18:00
Qualifying Sat 21:00 - 22:00
Race Sun 21:00
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