Miami GP set for surprise curveball

Formula 1 heads to the Miami International Autodrome this weekend for the 2026 F1 Miami Grand Prix, with heat a constant factor — but a growing threat of rain on Sunday could yet play a decisive role.

Forecasts point to a largely settled start to the weekend. Friday is expected to be hot and sunny, with ambient temperatures reaching around 30°C and only a negligible chance of rain, offering teams stable conditions for practice.

Saturday should follow a similar pattern, with a mix of sunshine and cloud and temperatures potentially nudging 31–32°C.

The risk of showers remains low, meaning the sprint and qualifying are unlikely to be disrupted, though track temperatures will be punishing for tyres and drivers alike.

However, attention is firmly on Sunday's grand prix, where the forecast becomes more uncertain. While temperatures are again expected to hover around 30°C, both forecasting models indicate an increased likelihood of scattered showers developing during the afternoon, with rain probabilities rising into the 30–40 per cent range.

In typical Miami fashion, any rainfall is unlikely to be prolonged — but that is what makes it particularly significant.

Short, sharp downpours can quickly transform track conditions, catching teams out and forcing rapid strategic calls.

A brief shower at the wrong moment could trigger a switch to intermediates or even full wets, before a swift return to dry running, which would likely be a strategic nightmare and a considerable spanner in the works of what is usually a one-stop affair.

Coupled with high humidity, the possibility of rain introduces a layer of unpredictability that has often been absent in Miami.

While a fully wet race remains unlikely, even a passing shower could prove pivotal — turning what might otherwise be a straightforward, heat-dominated contest into a strategically complex and potentially dramatic grand prix.