2024 Miami Grand Prix preview: timings, how to watch, and more

Hot topics ahead of the 2024 Miami Grand Prix

In a year of huge F1 headlines, the latest mind-blowing development is that Adrian Newey, the legendary designer behind many of the most successful F1 cars of all time, including all of Max Verstappen's race-winning cars, will leave Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season. Newey was one of the major figureheads behind Red Bull's transformation into a dominant force of motorsport, and his departure will certainly leave a huge hole in the team. Attention will now turn to where the ex-Williams and McLaren man will go next, a move to Ferrari is one of several options.

Another confirmed change for F1 in 2025 will see Nico Hulkenberg leave Haas and move to Sauber, where he is expected to become a member of the new Audi team when that takeover takes effect in 2026. Hulkenberg returned to F1 with Haas in 2023 after two seasons away from full-time racing, and has proven himself yet again as a quick and dependable pair of hands. He has of course driven for the Sauber team before, and Audi has clearly seen enough to put Hulkenberg in its first ever F1 car, but will he finally be able to end his podium-less run?

It's been a torrid couple of months for Mercedes. As if Lewis Hamilton announcing he's leaving at the end of the year wasn’t enough, the team has once again developed an underwhelming and largely floored car. The optimism of pre-season testing, where Toto Wolff, Hamilton and George Russell all proclaimed the team had finally got the better of its struggles, has all but diminished. Hamilton has since endured his worst-ever start to an F1 season, and the team has yet to feature on a grand prix podium in 2024. The Miami Grand Prix will be the venue for Mercedes' initial response to its poor start, as the team brings several substantial upgrades for this weekend. The pressure is well and truly on now, this team cannot afford any more false dawns.

The second F1 sprint weekend of 2024

The Miami Grand Prix will play host to the second sprint weekend of the 2024 F1 season, of which there will be six in total.

The sprint format has been subjected to yet another revamp for 2024. Sprint qualifying will continue to take place on Friday afternoon after the first practice session, but the sprint race itself will now take place on Saturday morning before qualifying for the grand prix on Saturday afternoon.

After Lando Norris took a surprise pole position during a wet qualifying session, Max Verstappen stormed to victory in the first sprint of the year at the Chinese Grand Prix last time out and Lewis Hamilton held on to score a surprise second place.

When can I watch the 2024 Miami Grand Prix?

It's a sprint weekend, which means the teams and drivers are limited to a single free practice session which kicks off the F1 action in Miami at 17:30 UK time (12:30 local time). Sprint qualifying follows on Friday night at 21:30 (16:30).

As per the new sprint weekend schedule, the sprint opens the F1 action on Saturday at 17:00 (12:00), qualifying for the grand prix gets underway at 21:00 (16:00) to set the grid for Sunday’s race.

Lights out for the Miami Grand Prix is at 21:00 UK time (16:00) on Sunday 5th May.

How to watch the Miami Grand Prix

Sky Sports retains exclusive rights to all live coverage of F1 in the UK. Every session of the Miami Grand Prix will be shown live and uninterrupted on Sky Sports F1.

US viewers can catch all the action on ESPN, and Australian audiences can watch on Kayo Sports. The F1 TV Pro app will also provide coverage of every F1 session across the weekend to several countries the world over.

Which series are supporting in Miami?

F1 Academy returns for its second race weekend of the season in Miami as the headline support series alongside the Porsche Carrera Cup North America. The all-female series kicked off its second season in Saudi Arabia back in March, and Abbi Pulling arrives for round two as championship leader after Doriane Pin's chequered flag calamity saw her demoted from first place in race two. The French star will be looking to put that error behind her with another dominant performance.

F1 Academy will get the weekend underway on Friday with free practice one at 15:00 UK time (10:00 local). Practice two follows at 20:20 (13:20) ahead of F1 sprint qualifying.

Saturday will see the drivers return for qualifying at 15:25 (10:25) before their first race of the weekend at 19:05 (14:05). Race two will precede the grand prix on Sunday at 18:05 (11:05).

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.