Miami GP: what time is the race? And how can I watch it?

After the disappointment that was the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend, F1 is hoping to put its street race woes behind it by flying out to Miami… for another street race. Oh goodie.

This is the second time F1 will have descended on Miami after the event was introduced to the calendar last year, and although the race itself was low on action it was incredible to see F1 finally break new ground in the US after literally decades of trying.

Remember a Las Vegas Grand Prix is happening this November too: you can thank Netflix and Drive to Survive for that.

So what’s the state of play as of now? Max Verstappen leads the championship by six points from teammate Sergio Perez, whose victory last time out made it two wins apiece for the Red Bull duo in a title fight that looks like a two horse race already.

Behind them (and we mean really far behind them) Ferrari, Aston Martin and Mercedes all look closely matched, while McLaren and Alpine will be hoping that recent upgrades can bring home a decent haul of points and kickstart their seasons.

So ahead of the Miami GP, here’s everything you could possibly need to know ahead of the fifth race of the 2023 F1 season…

What time is the Miami GP? And what time is qualifying?

For UK viewers, the race takes place on Sunday 7 May and starts at 8.30pm sharp. Yep, at half past and not the top of the hour. Nope, we’ve no idea why either.

If you want to tune in for qualifying then that’s a 9pm start on Saturday 6 May, with the session likely to last around an hour.

Keen to catch practice as well? The first shakedowns are on Friday 5 May at 7pm and 10.30pm respectively, while the final practice runs begin at 5.30pm on Saturday, a few hours before qualifying.

What’s the weather going to be like?

Warm and dry. Expect to see highs of 30 degrees Celsius over the race weekend and some cloud cover, although not the variety that’s likely to lead to any rain that might make the race more exciting. Sorry.

Where is the Miami GP taking place?

Um, Miami? Duh. The Miami International Autodrome is the fancy name given to the track that’s built around the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins NFL team. And yes, we regret to inform you that part of this temporary circuit runs through the stadium’s car park. Or parking lot, if you want to use the local lingo.

Miami of course is situated on the eastern coast of Florida. And fun fact: it’s just up the road from Fort Lauderdale, where Williams driver Logan Sargeant was born. So no prizes for guessing which of the three US races he considers his ‘home’ event.

How many laps is the Miami GP?

The Miami Grand Prix takes place over 57 laps of the 5.412km (3.363-mile) circuit. Last year’s race was won by Max Verstappen, although it was Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who took pole position in 2022 before losing the lead to his rival on race day.

After the grand prix, it was announced that (after just one race) the track would be completely resurfaced in the hope that drivers would be able to find more grip off the ideal racing line and therefore improve the amount of overtaking that’s possible around the lap. Hopefully that means a big improvement for 2023.

Who’s going to win the Miami GP?

There have been four races so far and Red Bull has won all of them. And by some margin. So that kinda suggests this race is Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez’s to lose.

Both drivers have scored two wins apiece (although Perez also won last week’s sprint in Baku too) so far this season and while the Dutchman won here last year, there’s something about his Mexican teammate and street circuits that goes together like Ross and Rachel. So this one’s a toss up.

Outside shouts? If the Red Bull pair take each other out in the first corner you’d have to fancy Leclerc and Ferrari or the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso (wouldn’t that be a sight?!). Lewis Hamilton and George Russell continue to push each other at Mercedes, although that car is so hit-and-miss the team has already entirely written off the aerodynamic concept that underpins it. Oh dear.

How can I watch the Miami GP?

Two options if you live in the UK: subscribe to Sky Sports for its F1 channel, or pay for Now TV in order to stream Sky Sports’ F1 feed that way. Or go and find a pub/drinking establishment that’ll pop the race on for you while you sip your way through a series of beverages.

The timing of the race is decidedly inconvenient for Channel 4’s free-to-air highlights show: because qualifying and the race happen so late in the day in the UK, quali highlights won’t be shown until Sunday morning at 8.30am and race highlights won’t be broadcast until 1.25am on Monday. Good job it’s a bank holiday next week and you might have the option of a lie-in…

What’s the Top Gear view on the Miami GP?

Unless we get very lucky, nothing about the track layout or evidence of last year’s race suggests the Miami GP is going to be that enthralling. Sorry. And especially with the drivers beginning to complain more vocally that this year’s cars are harder to overtake than last year’s… despite following exactly the same aerodynamic principles. Worrying times.

However, there’s more to the Miami GP than just the racing: F1’s success here is good news for the sport as a whole, and if changes can be made over the coming years there’s no reason why it can’t be a race we all look forward to in the future. Now, about that car park section…