The opening of Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix has been pushed forward by three hours because of a looming thunderstorm threat across Florida. Originally slated to begin at 9 p.m. UK time (4 p.m.
local), the race officials – including the FIA and Formula 1’s commercial arm – announced after Saturday’s qualifying session that the new kickoff will be at 6 p.m. UK time (1 p.m.
Miami time). Weather models released earlier in the week show a clear chance of rain in the morning, followed by increasingly intense storm activity in the early afternoon that could persist into the evening. Under Florida law, any outdoor sporting event must be halted the moment thunder is heard, and can only resume after a minimum 30‑minute lull since the last lightning strike. To avoid a mid‑race interruption, the organisers opted to move the start to an earlier slot when the forecast predicts a relatively drier window.
A joint statement from the FIA, Formula 1 Management (FOM) and the Miami Grand Prix promoter explained the reasoning: "After extensive discussions with the Miami promoter, the decision was taken to move the start of Sunday’s Grand Prix to 1 p.m. local time in Miami because the forecast calls for heavier rainstorms later in the afternoon, close to the originally planned start. This adjustment aims to minimise disruption, maximise the chance of completing the race in optimal conditions, and prioritise the safety of drivers, spectators, teams and staff." The shift mirrors a similar change made earlier this season at the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix, where the start was also brought forward due to an adverse weather outlook. Both instances underline how flexible the modern F1 calendar must be when faced with unpredictable climate patterns.
On the sporting side, Mercedes’ young talent Kimi Antonelli secured pole position on Saturday, edging out a resurgent Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who finished second. Antonelli’s pole is notable because his start‑line performance this season has been inconsistent; he dropped from second to fourth on the first lap of the Miami sprint race.
Nevertheless, the rain‑soaked conditions could play to his advantage, as he expressed enthusiasm for a potential rolling start, which would eliminate the traditional standing‑start element that can be treacherous on a wet track. "If it’s a rolling start, it will definitely take that standing‑start element out of the way, but let’s see," Antonelli told Sky Sports F1. "Obviously it’s going to be raining a lot, so we’ll see what the timings are and hope we can find the best window to avoid crazy conditions." The new 2026 cars have undergone significant aerodynamic revisions, including the removal of Straight‑Line Mode (wing opening on straights) and Boost Mode (extra 350 kW power out of corners). These changes were intended to simplify the cars and reduce overtaking aids, but they also mean that in wet conditions drivers will have fewer tools to manage grip and speed.
With only three races having taken place in the new machinery, most drivers have limited wet‑weather experience in these spec cars. Antonelli acknowledged the challenge: "It will be slippery if it rains, and not easy because everyone has so little experience, some of us even have no wet experience at all. It’s a new challenge for everyone." Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who will line up on the front row for the first time this season, reflected on his limited wet practice: "I drove them in the wet in Barcelona during pre‑season, just me and Charles, so it was quite lonely. It’s a handful and not easy.
We’ll have to wait and see how much water falls, because that makes a big difference." McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, starting seventh, joked that the team might need to "build some oars" to navigate the potential deluge. He added, "Everyone’s been talking about the forecast all weekend, so I’ll just roll with it.
If it’s wet, that throws a lot of spanners in the works because no one has really driven these cars in the rain, and we don’t know what they’ll do. Hopefully we’re on the right side of that." Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, occupying sixth on the grid, brings more wet‑testing experience than most of the field. He completed two days of dedicated wet‑weather testing for Pirelli at the Fiorano circuit during the mandatory April break, in addition to a full day of wet practice in Barcelona. "I’ve definitely done more wet testing than probably ever before.
I had a whole day in Barcelona, which was not fun, and then two days of wet testing two weeks ago," Hamilton said in a pre‑race interview. The revised schedule for Sunday, May 3, now reads as follows: 2:25 p.m.
– F2 Feature Race; 4:00 p.m. – Miami GP build‑up; 6:00 p.m.
– Grand Prix start; 8:00 p.m. – Chequered flag reaction; 9:00 p.m.
– Ted’s Notebook recap. All sessions will also be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event and streamed via NOW with no contract required.
In summary, the early start is a proactive measure to sidestep the forecasted thunderstorms that could otherwise force a mid‑race suspension under Florida law. It also gives teams a slightly larger window to complete the event under safer, drier conditions, while drivers like Antonelli, Verstappen, Piastri and Hamilton prepare for the unique challenge of racing the brand‑new 2026 cars on a potentially wet circuit. The combination of weather uncertainty, new technical regulations, and limited wet‑weather mileage makes the Miami Grand Prix a compelling test of adaptability for the 2026 Formula 1 season.