Miami Grand Prix Sprint Race Begins in Wet Conditions
The 2025 Miami Grand Prix sprint race commenced under wet conditions, presenting a significant challenge for drivers and teams alike.
Drivers Anticipate Challenges with New 2026 Cars in Rain
World champion Lando Norris has expressed that Formula 1 drivers will be "thrown in at the deep end" due to the expected wet weather at the Miami Grand Prix. Norris, driving for McLaren, is among the majority of the grid who have yet to experience the 2026 cars in wet conditions following the sport's largest regulatory overhaul.
The new engines deliver a substantial amount of electrical power, but teams have encountered difficulties in deploying this power consistently, which Norris believes could result in "a bit more chaos."
"I don't know how wet it's going to be," said Norris, who qualified fourth behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. "It's going to be a big challenge on race day for everyone to perform, find the limit.
"Obviously, you can't afford to make any mistakes. We're thrown in the deep end, but that's what we're here to do. I look forward to it."
Antonelli Secures Pole Position; Verstappen and Others Prepare
Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes secured pole position for the Miami Grand Prix. His teammate Oscar Piastri commented on the unpredictable conditions ahead.
"It's obviously going to be a voyage into the unknown for everybody. When it rains here, it normally is pretty torrential, so it could be an interesting day.
"It's just going to be what happens with the power-unit, how you get power, where you get power is in a computer's hands.
"Just making sure that that does roughly what we expect. Obviously, the margin for error when it's wet is significantly smaller."
Weather Forecast and Potential Race Schedule Adjustments
The weather forecast predicts intermittent wet conditions throughout the day, including occasional thunderstorms. The commercial rights holder, Formula 1, and the governing body, the FIA, are scheduled to meet on Saturday evening to discuss whether to adjust the race timetable to increase the likelihood of holding the race, which is currently set to start at 16:00 local time (21:00 BST) on Sunday.
While there is a preference to maintain the existing schedule to avoid disrupting television broadcasts, heavy rain could prevent the cars from running. Additionally, US regulations prohibit racing during thunderstorms, which may necessitate moving the race start time earlier.
Another consideration involves spectator safety, as authorities will not permit fans to remain in the grandstands if there is an electrical storm near the venue.
Driver Experience in Wet Conditions
Among the leading drivers, Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who qualified third and sixth respectively, have experience driving the new cars in wet conditions during pre-season testing. However, Red Bull's Isack Hadjar suffered a crash during wet testing.
The remaining drivers from the top teams have not yet driven the 2026 cars in rain, adding to the uncertainty of race day performance.
