Organisers move Miami GP to 18:00 BST to avoid forecast thunderstorms

Formula 1 changed the Miami Grand Prix on race morning because the weather looked bad enough to break the day. The race was supposed to start at 4 p.m. local time in Miami. Instead, F1, the FIA and the local promoter pulled it forward to 1 p.m. local time — 18:00 BST — to get ahead of heavier rain and thunderstorms forecast for later in the afternoon. The point was simple: create the biggest possible window to actually run the race safely. (formula1.com) ### What exactly changed? Only one thing on paper, but it was a big one: the start time moved up by three hours. The fifth Miami Grand Prix was originally set for 1600 local time and was reset to 1300 after discussions between the FIA, Formula 1 and(formula1.com)rce the issue fast. (formula1.com) ### Why were they worried about thunderstorms? Because this was not just a “maybe it rains” problem. The forecast pointed to heavier rainstorms later in the afternoon, close to the original start time. In South Florida, thunderstorms are not just a (formula1.com)ically a buffer. (formula1.com) ### Why not just race in the wet? F1 can race in rain. It struggles with standing water, visibility and lightning around the venue. The catch is that modern F1 wet-weather running is often limited less by bravery than by what drivers can actually se(formula1.com)e was to cause the least disruption while maximizing the chance of completing the Grand Prix in the best conditions. (formula1.com) ### Who made the call? This was a joint decision. The FIA, Formula 1 and the Miami promoter all signed off after discussions on Saturday night into Sunday. Miami event boss Tom Garfinkel also backed the move and said contingencies were in place for (formula1.com)ds of fans heading to the Hard Rock Stadium complex. (formula1.com) ### Does this change the race itself? Potentially, yes. A three-hour shift changes track temperature, tire behavior and setup tradeoffs. Miami can swing from hot and greasy to cooler and more manageable depending on cloud cover and rain. That can he(formula1.com)s and which one suddenly looks exposed. (formula1.com) ### Who was set to start up front? Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli was due to start from pole, with Max Verstappen alongside on the front row. That gave the weather call extra intrigue, because any disruption — a damp track, a delayed procedure, a cooler opening stint — could shake up how a young pole-sitter manages the launch and first phase of the race. An earlier, cleaner start was in everyone’s interest. (formula1.com) ### Why does this matter beyond one race? Because it shows how aggressively F1 now manages weather risk. The series would rather move early than spend hours waiting, restarting and guessing. In Miami, the organizers decided the best way to protect the show was to change it before the storm had the chance to do that for them. (formula1.com) ### Bottom line This was a pragmatic weather call, not drama for its own sake. Miami’s Grand Prix got moved to 1 p.m. local time because officials thought the original 4 p.m. slot gave the storm too much leverage — and they wanted the race, not the forecast, to control the afternoon. (formula1.com)