Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix has been moved up by three hours.
The FIA and race organizers announced Saturday evening that the race, originally scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, would instead start at 1 p.m. ET. The decision was made with thunderstorms forecast for much of the afternoon in South Florida.
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“This decision has been taken 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 prioritize the safety of drivers, fans, teams and staff,” a statement said.
Formula 1 races can be held in the rain, but can’t be held with lightning in the vicinity. And if heavy rain causes ponding on the track, that can also lead to dangerous conditions. Twelve years ago, F1 attempted to run the Japanese Grand Prix in heavy rain as a typhoon approached. Jules Bianchi’s car spun off the track and collided with a piece of heavy equipment. Bianchi suffered significant head injuries and died nine months after the crash.
Kimi Antonelli won the pole for Sunday’s race on Saturday with a lap that beat Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. It’s the third consecutive pole position for Antonelli as he also searches for his third straight win. The 19-year-old F1 points leader won in China and Japan before F1 was forced to take the month of April off because of the Iran war and the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
