Liam Lawson forecasts major challenge if shocking weather arrives

Liam Lawson is expecting the Miami Grand Prix to be "quite difficult" should the weather forecast prove accurate, with major showers expected on race day.

The Miami International Autodrome has been blessed by soaring temperatures and blue skies across the event so far, although that is all set to disappear on Sunday.

Heavy rain, thunder and lightning are currently forecast across the entirety of the most critical day of the grand prix weekend, with the FIA having a plan in place should changes be required.

With F1 having gone through a five-week break ahead of Miami, many eyes are on the sport's return, although, based on the forecast, that wait could very well go on.

For the vast majority of the grid, rain on Sunday would represent their first experience of driving in the wet since the new regulations were introduced.

Last year's Miami Sprint was wet, as was Las Vegas, although Lawson has outlined the difficulty in comparing the impact wet weather has at different venues.

Asked if he has any idea how the car will operate in the wet, Lawson told select media including RacingNews365: "Some idea, but obviously it's very track-dependent. 

"Even last year, if you look at Las Vegas as an example, it was completely different to what we've driven in other conditions, even here last year. 

"But it was weird — we had quite a lot of oil on the surface that came up on the visors, we couldn't see. 

"That was something we hadn't experienced before. So yeah, it's hard to know. We have a very limited amount of experience in the rain, so it's something that we'll all be trying to figure out if it happens."

Lawson's fortunate position

Should it rain on Sunday, Lawson is one of a select number of drivers on the grid to have driven the new cars in the wet.

Racing Bulls experienced heavy downpours during its Pirelli tyre test at Suzuka after the Japanese Grand Prix, potentially offering the New Zealander a small advantage.

Discussing if he had any wet weather experience this year, Lawson said: "Yeah, we had a tyre test after Japan and had some running in the wet, which was really useful for us, obviously, and for Pirelli as well. 

"I think again, it's just that each track is very, very different, so it's very hard to know. I think here being a street circuit, if it's the same as last year, it would be quite difficult anyway in these cars."