The sixth weekend of Formula 1 is on its way to Miami. After seeing the first victory of Lando Norris’s career last year, who would take the first win on US soil this weekend ?
This year’s Miami Grand Prix will be the 80th round of the Drivers’ Formula 1 World Championship to have been held in the United States of America, since its inception in 1950. Gentle reminder for everyone that Miami is the second sprint race weekend of the year. Last time was in China, and Lewis Hamilton put on a stunning performance by winning for the first time in red. Formula 1 is not the only series to race at the track this weekend, as F1 Academy is set to race for the third time this year. Porsche Carrera Cup North America will also join the action.
Track layout
The race is held on a track around the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins NFL team and one of nine ATP Masters venues. With 5.41 km circuit length, 19 corners, three straights and three DRS Zones with an estimated top speed of 320km/h, it’s not one of the fans’ favorite tracks. The site is generally flat, but some elevation changes have been built in, especially between turns 13 and 16.
However, some actions were seen last year, with a Virtual Safety Car and two Safety Cars. An error from Max Verstappen and a great strategy from McLaren permitted Lando Norris to take his first ever win in Formula 1.
Softer than ever
The trio of compounds chosen by Pirelli is the same as that used a fortnight ago in Saudi Arabia: C3 as Hard, C4 as Medium and C5 as Soft. Again, just as in Jeddah, this is a step softer than last season. The surface of the track that runs around the stadium is very smooth, exposing the tyres to moderate longitudinal and lateral forces. Thermal degradation will be a major factor, as temperatures are expected to be very high, given that last year’s track temperature exceeded 55 °C. The surface was relaid in 2023 and, as with the other temporary Grand Prix circuits, grip levels will increase significantly the more the track rubbers-in across the weekend.
So far, the Miami Grand Prix has been a one-stop race, including last year’s. The Medium was the tyre of choice for the opening stint for 15 of the 20 drivers, before a switch mainly to the Hard, with just a couple of drivers opting for the Soft, which actually displayed relatively low degradation. The performance differential between all three of last year’s compounds, C2, C3 and C4, was quite small. The strategy, particularly the timing of the pit stop, was affected by a Virtual Safety Car, which then morphed into a full Safety Car period. It will be interesting to see if this year’s softer compounds will open the door to a two-stop strategy.
Always more special features
It’s the fourth race of the year to feature a special edition of the Pirelli Podium Cap. Turquoise and pink are the iconic colours of Miami’s Art Deco style, embodying the city’s sunny and tropical spirit. These are therefore the colours that inspired Denis Dekovic, the designer of the Pirelli Design 2025 Podium Cap collection.
It’s also a time when a lot of teams love to launch special merch and/or livery. Mercedes is the first to start with a pink neon collection. Unironically, Visa Cash App Racing Bulls hoped for the same color, making their livery pink and white. An ingenious way to promote the new Red Bull flavor “White Peach”.
On the other side, Scuderia Ferrari HP went all white and blue with special merch, race suits and livery. Paying tribute to their new partner, HP, the logo is everywhere.
The last team to do a special livery is Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber. Even though they’re sticking to that green neon color, it’s a new camo that is on the car. Making it look like a splash of paint went on a black car, it’s a reference to Miami being the art capital.
