2026 Miami Grand Prix: F1 Race, Qualifying & Winners

After an unusually long five-week break caused by the war in the Middle East, which led to the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix being cancelled for safety reasons, Formula 1 returned to Florida for the 2026 Miami Grand Prix. Originally scheduled as round six, Miami now became round four of the season.

The delay became a rare development window, giving all 11 teams valuable time to refine their all-new 2026 cars before the season’s next phase began. With the early pecking order still taking shape, Miami became the moment the championship fight could really gather momentum in the heat of South Beach.

Race Guide

Race weekend: 1 May 2026 – 3 May 2026
Race date: Sunday, 3 May 2026
Race start time: 16:00 local time
Circuit: Miami International Autodrome
Laps: 57
Circuit length: 5.412km
2025 winner: Oscar Piastri

Pole position
Driver	TBC	TBC
Time	TBC
Fastest lap
Driver	TBC	TBC
Time	TBC
Podium
First	TBC	TBC
Second	TBC	TBC
Third	TBC	TBC

The break may have been over, but there would be no gentle reintroduction to racing. Miami hosted a Sprint weekend, meaning the pressure arrived immediately as cars hit the circuit. Teams got just a single practice session before parc fermé conditions and Sprint Qualifying on Friday night, followed by competitive running across Saturday and Sunday.

Recognising the unusual gap since the previous round, and a raft of tweaks to the regulations, Formula 1 extended Friday’s only practice session to 90 minutes rather than the standard hour. That extra half-hour could prove crucial as teams validated ‘Spring-break’ upgrades. With points available in the Sprint, a Grand Prix still to come, and momentum on the line, Miami looked to become one of the first defining weekends of the 2026 F1 World Championship.

Miami International Autodrome Stats

Since joining the Formula 1 calendar in 2022, the Miami International Autodrome fast became one of the sport’s most demanding modern venues. Built around the Hard Rock Stadium complex, the circuit’s long flat-out sections with technical low-speed corners create a layout where setup compromise is everything.

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Despite its wide sections, Miami still carries the unforgiving traits of a street circuit. Concrete walls close to the racing line in several areas, meaning any lapse in concentration is punished instantly. But drivers often need to brush the barriers to unlock a maximum lap time, especially in qualifying.

In 2026, the weather conditions were expected to pose another challenge, with hot, dry temperatures around 28 °C forecast for Friday, Saturday and Sunday — conditions that could test tyre management, cooling systems and driver endurance throughout the weekend.

Though still one of the newest additions to the Formula 1 calendar, the Miami Grand Prix, ahead of the 2026 race, had already produced several landmark moments and a small but notable list of winners. Since its debut in 2022, only a select group of drivers had conquered the Miami International Autodrome.

Max Verstappen dominated the race’s early years, winning the first two editions in 2022 and 2023 to give Red Bull Racing an immediate hold over the event. His 2023 triumph, a standout drive, having charged from ninth on the grid.

The tide shifted in 2024 when Lando Norris claimed his long-awaited maiden Formula 1 victory, a breakthrough result that celebrated a major milestone for both driver and team. McLaren backed that success up in 2025 through Oscar Piastri, becoming the first constructor to win consecutive Miami Grand Prix.

Weekend Schedule

Date	Session	Local Time
Friday 1st May	Free Practice 1 (FP1)	12:00 pm – 1:30 pm local time
Friday 1st May	Sprint Qualifying	4:30 pm – 5:14 pm local time
Saturday 2nd May	Sprint	12:00 pm – 1:00 pm local time
Saturday 2nd May	Qualifying	4:00 pm – 5:00 pm local time
Sunday 3rd May	Race	4:00 pm local time

Championship background

The championship picture remained one of the biggest talking points heading into Miami, with teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli arriving as the leader of the Drivers’ standings after consecutive victories in China and Japan. The young Italian had adapted instantly to Formula 1’s new era and now held a nine-point advantage over Mercedes team-mate George Russell, underlining the Silver Arrows’ early control of the season. With three wins from the opening three races, Mercedes had set the benchmark — but Miami could be the first true test of whether that advantage could be sustained.

A five-week development break, combined with recent regulatory tweaks, had given rivals a rare opportunity to respond. Almost every team was expected to arrive in Florida with significant upgrades, making this one of the most unpredictable weekends of the year so far. Ferrari and McLaren would both think they could close the gap, while Lando Norris returned to the circuit where he claimed his breakthrough maiden Grand Prix victory in 2024. His team-mate Oscar Piastri also showed race-winning pace in Japan before an ill-timed Safety Car disrupted his challenge.

Ferrari’s strong start suggested they should again be in the fight at the front, giving Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton another chance to challenge for silverware and podium positions. Further back in the standings, Max Verstappen sat in an unfamiliar ninth and remained a major storyline after he had recently questioned his long-term future in Formula 1. With new power unit regulations under discussion and mounting pressure on the track, Miami could prove a pivotal weekend not only in the title race but also in shaping the wider direction of the 2026 season.

Race entries

The lineup of drivers and teams remained the same as the 2026 season’s entry list, featuring no reserve drivers for the race.

Tyre choices

The report appears once Pirelli releases updates.

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