The weather in Miami could throw a major spanner in the works for Formula 1. For the drivers, the conditions with the new cars present uncharted territory, and concerns are mounting.
Formula 1 stars will undoubtedly be looking to the skies. Where is the rain? Will there be lightning? The weather forecast for the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday (22:00 CEST/Sky) is not promising – and the grid is holding its breath. The experience with these new cars in such conditions is limited, and the fourth race of the season threatens to become a precarious ride.
‘I don’t think many of us have driven these cars in the rain before, maybe a few people in Barcelona during the shakedown,’ said McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, referring to the impending threat. He believes ‘it will be a challenge to drive them in the wet. Simply because of some of their quirks.’
These quirks had already forced those in charge to make several adjustments to the regulations for qualifying, the race, and the start, prior to the race in Florida. And several adjustments have also been made for action in wet conditions. To provide stronger grip on intermediates, the temperatures of the tyre blankets have been increased, and the signals of the rear lights have been simplified for better visibility. To improve car control with little grip, the rule makers have reduced the maximum ERS deployment.
Carlos Sainz on Rain in Miami: ‘Will certainly be a cause for concern’
However, with the forecast for Miami in mind, this was not enough. On short notice, the boost button for overtakes in heavy rain will also not be usable. ‘It’s definitely a step forward,’ said Mercedes’ rising star Kimi Antonelli, who nevertheless sees potential for improvement: ‘We need to increase the temperatures for the blankets further; they will probably be too low for these conditions.’
Last year, rain in Miami already tested the patience of the organizers and delayed the start of the sprint. This time, an earlier start on Sunday seems possible, as rain and thunderstorms are mainly expected in the afternoon – the race start is currently planned for 4:00 PM local time. And if thunderstorms occur on Sunday, the entire program would be turned upside down: driving is not permitted if there is lightning nearby, and cancellation is also a possibility.
‘It’s an extremely flat track, the water stays on the surface,’ said Williams driver Carlos Sainz, ‘and whether that will be safe enough or not – with the close safety barriers and the visibility we have with these cars – will certainly be a cause for concern.’
‘I hope we can take all the necessary precautions. We can put on a good show, a good race. I think all the drivers want to race in the wet,’ the Spaniard continued, ‘but hopefully with the right system and the right aids to make it safe.’ It will be ‘difficult,’ said Antonelli, who will start as championship leader for the first time in the sprint on Saturday (18:00 CEST/Sky), ‘because there will be a lot of the unknown.’