If the new-era chaos in F1 wasn’t enough, the weather has now joined the party.
Race officials confirmed that Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix will start three hours earlier than planned due to forecasts of heavy thunderstorms. The race, originally scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, will now begin at 1 p.m. ET (6 p.m. BST).
The decision came after discussions between the FIA, F1, and the Miami race promoters late on Saturday.
In a statement, organisers said the move was made “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.”
Still, there are no guarantees. With the race set for 57 laps and a strict two-hour
active race window, even the earlier start may not be enough if conditions worsen.
Norris Wins Sprint, Antonelli Strikes Back in Qualifying
Before the weather could disrupt things, Lando Norris gave McLaren a timely boost.
Starting from pole, Norris controlled the Sprint race from lights out, converting his advantage into a composed win. He finished ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, with Charles Leclerc rounding out the top three.
It wasn’t as smooth for Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes rookie dropped places early and eventually finished sixth after a post-race penalty for repeated track limits violations, having already been shown a black-and-white warning flag.
But Antonelli responded in the best way possible, by delivering when it mattered most.
The Italian stormed to pole position in Qualifying, setting a standout lap of 1m 27.798s to edge out Max Verstappen and Leclerc. While he couldn’t improve on his final run, his earlier effort proved untouchable.
Verstappen came close with a rapid final sector but fell just over a tenth short, settling for the front row alongside Antonelli.
Norris recovered from a boost issue to secure P4, while Piastri had to settle for seventh after a tricky session that nearly saw both McLarens knocked out early.
George Russell took fifth ahead of Lewis Hamilton, with Franco Colapinto, Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly completing the top 10.
