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<\/p>\nDuring media day for the Miami Grand\u00a0Prix, two topics dominated discussions with all drivers: the tweaks to the Formula 1 technical regulations and the weather forecast for Sunday. Although several teams have already tested their 2026 cars in the rain, the race in Florida could become the first collective on-track action in wet conditions under the new ruleset.<\/p>\n
If that happens, the first question is naturally how a potential thunderstorm on Sunday could affect the Grand Prix. That question has led to wild speculation about a possible cancellation of the race, but the FIA has clarified that this is certainly not the case as it stands. If a thunderstorm were to hit Miami on Sunday, disruption is a far more likely scenario than cancellation.<\/p>\n
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Moreover, the FIA still has an action plan from last year to fall back on. Local laws require people to seek shelter in the event of lightning or the threat of it, but that can be done inside the Hard Rock Stadium and the garages. A red flag would therefore be a more likely scenario than a cancellation that has been speculated over.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are closely monitoring the weather forecast for this weekend,\u201d an FIA spokesperson said. \u201cHaving faced a similar situation last year in Miami with threats of thunderstorms, we have a contingency plan in place and will activate it if needed to minimise disruption to the on-track programme.\u201d<\/p>\n
FIA intervention aimed at easing concerns over a wet race<\/p>\n
If the on-track action does go ahead as normal and takes place in wet conditions, the logical follow-up question is how the new generation of cars will perform in what will be low-grip conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI drove the car when we did the shakedown in Silverstone in the wet and definitely it was very tricky,\u201d championship leader Kimi Antonelli said on Thursday. \u201cAlthough now with the changes, they clipped the power to 250 kilowatts for the wet and no boost, so that\u2019s already a step forward in that regard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Antonelli highlights an important point: the FIA intervention during the April break not only concerns overall energy management, but also specific adjustments for wet conditions. In addition to improving visibility via the rear light systems, the FIA can indeed limit MGU-K deployment in \u201clow-grip conditions\u201d, which a wet race in Miami would logically fall under.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the updated regulations \u2013 now formally ratified by the FIA World Motor Sport Council \u2013 state that boost mode, as Antonelli already indicated, is banned in such conditions, which should alleviate some of the drivers\u2019 concerns.<\/p>\n
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Carlos Sainz, Williams<\/p>\n
Photo by: Hector Vivas \/ Formula 1 via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Sainz questions partial active aerodynamics<\/p>\n
However, this is not the only aspect that drivers raised during media day as a potential concern. Carlos Sainz<\/a> also spoke out about active aerodynamics. The FIA has the option to implement a partial straight-line mode, which is described in the updated regulations under article B7.1.2b:<\/p>\n \u201cIn low grip conditions, only partial activation of the driver adjustable bodywork in the associated low grip activation zones is allowed.\u201d<\/p>\n This means that active aerodynamics at the rear of the cars is not permitted \u2013 just as DRS was disabled in the wet in previous years \u2013 but that it would be allowed at the front wing. Sainz, however, has his doubts about whether the amount of drag reduction is worth the potential risks.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are a few things, like the SLM in the wet only at the front, that I really don\u2019t understand why we have that if it doesn\u2019t reduce the drag much. So yeah, a few things to analyse, to put together, if Sunday is going to be wet, maybe to discuss in drivers\u2019 briefing so we can have all clear in our heads what we should expect and what we should go racing with.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked, the FIA explained that the choice for partial active aero in certain conditions is based on numerous simulations, related to how energy-consuming the cars are. It should also be noted that the amount of drag reduction varies per team, meaning that active aerodynamics \u2013 and its effect in low-grip conditions \u2013 partly depends on conscious design choices.<\/p>\n The challenge of getting tyres up to temperature<\/p>\n Thirdly, in such conditions it will be a challenge for drivers to get the tyres up to temperature. That is precisely the aspect Antonelli says he is most concerned about.<\/p>\n \u201cI think also another big topic is that we will need to increase tyre blanket [temperatures] for the wet because I think as they are now, probably they will be a bit too low for the conditions. So yeah, it\u2019s going to be interesting to see. Tricky, but let\u2019s see,\u201d the Mercedes<\/a> driver added.<\/p>\n Kimi Antonelli had a taste of wet-weather running in Silverstone<\/p>\n Photo by: Mercedes AMG<\/p>\n Pirelli\u2019s tyres remain a question mark in Antonelli\u2019s view, despite the fact that the Italian supplier has been able to complete several testing days in wet conditions while developing the current tyres.<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely it\u2019s going to be very interesting because there\u2019s so much unknown in the wet at the moment, especially as no one really used the inter tyres, so we don\u2019t know how it\u2019s going to feel, how much grip there will be, especially with the new regulation.\u201d<\/p>\n While Antonelli does not specify whether he means full wets or intermediates, it should be noted that the FIA has at least intervened for the latter. As part of the package of measures during the break, the governing body also increased tyre blanket temperatures for intermediates \u201cfollowing driver feedback in order to improve initial grip and tyre performance in wet conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n However, not all drivers know if that will be enough, simply because getting temperature into the tyres with these new cars \u2013 which are faster on the straights, but have significantly less downforce and are slower in the corners \u2013 is more difficult than before.<\/p>\n \u201cI think also one thing with this year\u2019s cars, it\u2019s a bit harder to build temperature with the tyres, so in the wet they might be tricky,\u201d Antonelli admitted. \u201cAnd that\u2019s why we probably would need to increase tyre blanket [temps] in order to make it a bit better and a bit easier on that side.\u201d<\/p>\n Alpine<\/a> driver Pierre Gasly<\/a> can relate to that. The Frenchman\u2019s thoughts go back to his shakedown in January at Silverstone, where it was not raining at the time, but the conditions still offered extremely low grip.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was 30 degrees tyre temperature, wheelspinning even in 6th gear. After Maggots [and] Beckett’s, [I had to] change underwear every lap. It was the most extreme I’ve ever done in my life, so after that I feel pretty prepared for any conditions that I’m going to face,\u201d the Alpine driver laughed.<\/p>\n The layout of the Miami track brings its own issues<\/p>\n Photo by: Glenn Dunbar \/ Motorsport Images<\/p>\n Miami track makes a wet race even trickier<\/p>\n In Miami, the situation is made even more complex by the nature of the track on the parking lot around the Hard Rock Stadium.<\/p>\n![\"Kimi](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrea-kimi-antonelli-mercedes.jpg\")
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