Considering the high possibility of rain and a thunderstorm during the Miami Grand Prix, the race has been rescheduled to avoid potential delays and even a race cancellation, given the Florida law that requires the suspension of sports events during thunder and lightning.
MotorBiscuit reported yesterday how the FIA was considering alternatives as the Miami Grand Prix faced a threat of cancellation. The race was scheduled to begin on May 3 at 4 p.m., and the weather forecast for the afternoon suggested an 88% chance of rain and 99% cloud cover, with wind gusts of up to 26 km/h.
Even if the race is allowed to carry on in rainy conditions following a safety check by the FIA, Florida’s 30-minute rule could lead to a pause in the race. The rule requires any sporting event to halt immediately when thunder is heard at the venue.
The event is not allowed to resume until 30 minutes have passed after the last clap of thunder or visible lightning strike. The rule could potentially delay a race restart.
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Grands prix usually last around two hours, and given the 7:52 p.m. sunset time in Miami, it could prove to be a race against time before visibility drops to dangerous levels in case there is a pause in the race due to thunderstorms.
Potential incidents arising from a wet track could also require the safety car to be deployed, adding further to any delay.
Updated Miami Race Day Schedule
Keeping the challenges in mind, the FIA, FOM, and the organizers of the Miami Grand Prix have announced that the race will begin three hours earlier on the same day in an attempt to avoid the thunderstorm, as reported by Sky Sports F1:
“Following discussions between FIA, FOM and the Miami promoter, the decision has been taken to move the start of Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix to 1pm local time in Miami due to the weather forecast that is expected to bring heavier rainstorms later in the afternoon close to the original planned race start time.
“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 prioritise the safety of drivers, fans, teams and staff.”
| Session | Original Time (ET) | New Time (ET) | UK Time (BST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| McLaren Trophy America (Race 2) | Later AM slot | 08:00 ET | 13:00 BST |
| F2 Feature Race | 12:25 ET | 09:25 ET | 14:25 BST |
| Porsche Carrera Cup North America | Sunday slot |  CANCELLED |
— |
 F1 Miami Grand Prix |
16:00 ET | 13:00 ET | 18:00 BST |
 Sunday’s schedule was reshuffled three hours earlier due to forecast thunderstorms in Miami. The Porsche Carrera Cup North America race was cancelled outright to make room for F2 — which had been added late to this round as a replacement for the cancelled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds. |
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How to Watch the Miami Grand Prix
In the United States, Apple TV is the official broadcast partner for the 2026 F1 season, while F1 TV is another global subscription streaming service.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can tune into Sky Sports, which is F1’s exclusive broadcaster. F1 coverage can also be streamed via Sky Go or NOW.