Miami F1 Race Moved to Avoid Storms
Sunday's Miami Grand Prix will start three hours earlier than planned. It will now begin at 13:00 local time, not 16:00. F1 (Formula 1) leaders made the change on Saturday because of strong storms expected later in the afternoon. In Florida, state law says big outdoor events must stop if lightning strikes nearby. Kimi Antonelli, a 19-year-old Mercedes driver, will start in first place. Lando Norris of McLaren will start fourth.
F1 leaders had two reasons to act fast. Safety: if lightning hit the track, fans and staff would have to take cover, and the race might be lost. Money: Miami is one of F1's most important US races, with more than 200,000 fans expected over the weekend. Two other races this year were already cancelled because of war in the Middle East. Losing Miami too would be very bad for the sport.
Even at the new time, the race may still be wet. Most drivers have never raced this year's new cars in rain. The new cars use a lot of electric power, and teams are still learning to control it well. Norris said the drivers will be thrown in at the deep end. His team-mate Oscar Piastri called it a voyage into the unknown. Heavy spray and water on the track will make driving very difficult.