The Miami Grand Prix has been rescheduled to start three hours earlier than originally planned, as officials moved to avoid the threat of severe weather. The race, initially slated for later in the afternoon, will now begin at 1:00 PM local time (6:00 PM BST) following discussions between Formula One management, the FIA, and local promoters.
Rain Hazard Declaration
The FIA had earlier issued a rain hazard declaration ahead of the 57-lap race, with the probability of precipitation exceeding 40 percent. The decision to shift the start time was taken to ensure the race could be completed under the best possible conditions and to prioritize the safety of drivers, fans, and staff.
In a statement, F1 officials explained: "Following discussions between FIA, FOM and the Miami promoter, the decision has been taken to move the start of Sunday's Miami Grand Prix to 13:00 local time in Miami due to the weather forecast that is expected to bring heavier rainstorms later in the afternoon close to the original planned race start time. 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 prioritise the safety of drivers, fans, teams and staff."
Contingency Plans and Lightning Risk
F1 bosses had already stressed that contingency plans were in place due to the unpredictable forecast. Florida state law mandates that events must be halted if lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius, adding another layer of consideration for race organizers.
Even if the Grand Prix proceeds without delay, the threat of a wet race remains. This would mark the first time many drivers have piloted the new generation of cars in wet conditions, a prospect that several had earlier described as challenging.
Championship leader and pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli noted: "It's going to be tricky because so many drivers did not use it in the wet. Hearing feedback it is not the easiest in the wet."
Lewis Hamilton, who will start sixth for Ferrari, has more experience with the current cars in wet weather than most, having tested in Barcelona and at Ferrari's Fiorano track. He commented: "It was pretty horrible in Barcelona, it was not a fun day, it was very slippery, it wasn't the most fun but the wet's not usually that fun nowadays. Back in the day when we had grippier tyres it was a bit better. Fiorano was painful because it was 300 laps over two days."
Max Verstappen is set to start from second on the grid, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Lando Norris.
