F1 has announced that the Miami Grand Prix will be rescheduled because of a severe weather warning.
Formula 1 has announced that the Miami Grand Prix will start three hours earlier because of tough weather forecasts. After talks between the FIA, F1, and the Miami Promoter, it was decided that tomorrow’s race will kick off at 1 PM local time (6 PM UK time).
The main race, which was at risk of being delayed or changed due to expected thunderstorms and heavy rain, will now begin earlier to give the best chance to finish in good conditions. Originally, the 57-lap race was set to start at 4 PM ET, but moving it earlier means there’s a bigger window to run the race safely.
In Florida, rules say that outdoor sports must pause if thunder is heard and can only restart after 30 minutes without thunder, so the new start time helps avoid these delays. The FIA, FOM, and Miami Promoter said, “We’ve moved the race to 1 PM because heavier storms are expected closer to the original start time. This change helps minimize disruptions and keeps everyone – drivers, fans, teams, and staff – safe.”
The FIA had already warned about rain on Saturday after the sprint race, allowing teams to make some car changes, like adjusting front wings and engine settings for better performance in wet conditions.
This isn’t the first time a race start was changed this year; the Sao Paulo Grand Prix was also moved earlier due to bad weather.
In qualifying, World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, now part of F1’s top drivers, took pole position for Mercedes. Max Verstappen surprised many by putting his Red Bull on the front row, despite not qualifying higher than eighth in the last three sessions. George Russell, Kimi’s Mercedes teammate, came fifth, after Verstappen, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and World Champion Lando Norris.
It was a tough day for Aston Martin, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finishing 18th and 19th. Alonso wasn’t happy with Ferrari’s advantage in the wet, and it looks like wet weather might still play a role in Sunday’s race despite the earlier start.
Here are the qualifying results for the Miami Grand Prix!