F1 Miami Grand Prix start time changed as FIA react to weather chaos in South Florida

Oscar Piastri holds an umbrella as a superimposed lightning bolt hits his umbrella at the Miami GP — Photo: © IMAGO

Miami Grand Prix

F1 Miami Grand Prix start time changed as FIA react to weather chaos

The race has been moved forward due to forecast thunderstorms

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Sunday 3 May 2026 10:27 Updated: 11:38

The start time for the F1 Miami Grand Prix today (Sunday May 3) has been moved forward as the FIA reacts to weather chaos in South Florida.

Thunderstorms forecast for late afternoon in the Miami Gardens have loomed large over the schedule throughout the week, and now the FIA have acted to head off the danger of the race being severely impacted.

Miami Grand Prix moved forward three hours

Article continues under video

Late on Saturday local time it was announced that the 57-lap race will now begin at 1pm local time (6pm UK, 7pm CET, 10am Pacific) - three hours earlier than the originally scheduled 4pm local start.

The news is no surprise, and comes to complete a weekend of wild weather in the South Florida area.

On Saturday, US authorities issued an official weather warning for the area due to the brutal heat, with temperatures nudging three figures during the Sprint Race and Qualifying sessions.

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FIA announces lightning risk procedures

The stewards have also outlined their special procedures for Sunday with the risk of lightning looming large, and very specific local rules applying for outdoor sporting events if it should materialise.

The FIA statement read as follows:

The Stewards, exercising their power given under Articles 11.7.1.a and 11.7.3.n of the FIA International Sporting Code, decide the following:

In accordance with local public safety standards there is a possibility that the Competition can be suspended due to risk of lightning strike at or around the circuit, in order to facilitate all personnel to “shelter in place” in a relevant location. In such circumstance, for the safe and orderly conduct of the Competition, the following procedures shall apply:

During the Grid Procedure

Should it be necessary to enact such “shelter in place” procedures whilst all cars are on the grid during the race starting procedure the following process shall apply:

• The start will be delayed in accordance with Article B5.14.1 of the FIA F1 Regulations.

• Teams will be informed using the official messaging system that all cars, on the grid or at the end of the pit lane, must be pushed from their location and returned to the teams’ Designated Garage Area. Garage doors must remain open until otherwise instructed. All Team personnel must leave the signalling area.

• Once the Race Director is satisfied it is safe to resume the starting procedure, Teams will be informed using the official messaging system that cars must be pushed from their Designated Garage Area and returned to their allocated grid positions. Cars that were returned to their Designated Garage Area from the end of the Pit Lane may be pushed back to the end of the Pit Lane and must line up in the order they were in when the delayed start was announced. At this time, Team personnel will be allowed to return to the signalling area, in accordance with Article B1.5.8.

• When all cars have been returned to the grid, or to the end of the pit lane, the starting procedure will begin again at the ten (10) minute signal.

During the Race

Should it be necessary to enact such “shelter in place” procedures during the Race the following process shall apply:

• The Race will be suspended in accordance with Article B14.2 of the FIA F1 Regulations, all cars must return to the pit lane and stop in the fast lane as described in Article B5.14.2b.

• Once all cars have returned to the pit lane, Teams will be informed using the official messaging system that cars must be pushed from the fast lane and returned to the teams’ garages. Garage doors must remain open until otherwise instructed. All Team personnel must leave the signalling area. For the avoidance of doubt, any car which was in their garage at the time the race was suspended, or that is moved from the fast lane to any other part of the pit lane without or prior to such instruction being given will be arranged at the back of the line of cars before the resumption in accordance with Article B5.15.1b or B5.14.4c respectively.

• Whilst the cars are in the teams’ garage the provisions of Article B5.14.4 shall apply. For the avoidance of doubt, cars may be worked on once they have stopped in the fast lane, whilst they are positioned in the teams’ garage, or once they have returned to the fast lane prior to the resumption, but any such work is restricted to that listed in Articles B5.14.4a (i to x) and must not impede the resumption of the Race.

• Once the Race Director is satisfied it is safe to resume the race, and no less than twenty (20) minutes prior to the expected re-start time, the re-start order will be published. At such time Team personnel will be allowed to return to the signalling area, in accordance with Article B1.5.8. Under the direct supervision and instruction of the FIA Technical Delegate or their representative:

o - Each Team will be instructed, in turn, to push their car(s) into the fast lane such that cars may be arranged in the fast lane in accordance with the published re-start order. o - Once all cars included in the re-start order are arranged in the fast lane, any car not included in the re-start order will be released from their garage and may line up at the back of the queue of cars in the fast lane in the order they get there.

o - Once all cars are arranged in the fast lane or have been given the opportunity to join the back of the queue in the fast lane, the resumption time will be announced using the official messaging system. In all cases at least ten (10) minutes warning will be given. From this point, the Race will be resumed in accordance with Article B5.15.2 of the FIA F1 Regulations.

Written by

Graham Shaw - Consultant Editor

Digital sports leader with 30 years of senior level experience running global brands. Built sportinglife.com to be a behemoth in the UK as well as being in charge of the Planet Sport network of sites including planetf1.com, football365.com, teamtalk.com and planetrugby.com. Then grew goal.com to be the world's biggest soccer website in 18 languages and 37 territories. Was GM of Portals for Perform Group (now DAZN) with overall responsibility for sportingnews.com, spox.de and voetbalzone.nl.

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F1 Miami Grand Prix