The 2024 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix gets underway this weekend at the Miami International Autodrome, a street circuit located in and around the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium complex.
The race is round six on 2024’s record F1 calendar, and the first of three U.S. races this season, the others being the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Miami Grand Prix will include a Sprint race in addition to the main race. It will be the second Sprint race this season after the first took place during the Chinese Grand Prix. The Sprint race is a standalone points race that takes place on Saturdays, prior to the qualifying session for the main race. It has its own qualifying session that takes place on Fridays, after a single practice session.
The Miami Grand Prix was first held in 2022 and has already managed to become a favorite among drivers. The track ranks high in terms of top speeds as cars comfortably exceed 200 mph on the back straight. It stretches 3.36 miles in length and features a mix of 19 low- and high-speed corners, along with three DRS zones.
Miami International Autodrome, home of the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix
Several small tweaks were made to the track between the first race in 2022 and the second edition last year. These included the track being resurfaced with a new aggregate ahead of 2023, offering improved grip for the drivers with the aim of increasing overtaking opportunities.
Pirelli has nominated its mid-range C2, C3, and C4 compounds for this weekend. Most teams are likely to run with a one-stop strategy, though that might change if degradation turns out to be higher than expected.
The weather on the coast of Miami is very changeable, though at present the forecast is for fine conditions for Saturday’s Sprint and qualifying sessions as well as Sunday’s main race. Ambient temperatures are expected to reach 83 degrees.
Going into the weekend, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen leads the 2024 Drivers’ Championship with 110 points. Fellow Red Bull driver Sergio Perez is second with 85 points, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is third with 76 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull leads with 195 points, versus the 151 of Ferrari and 96 of McLaren. Last year’s winner in Miami was Verstappen driving for Red Bull.
