F1 is back, with the circus descending on Miami for the fourth round of the season. But how much do you know about the Miami International Autodrome, which has been on the calendar since 2022? F1.com presents your all-in-one guide…
When was Miami’s first Grand Prix?
Miami joined the calendar in 2022, with Max Verstappen winning the debut Grand Prix and then making it two from two in 2023.
But the last two editions have been more about McLaren, with Lando Norris famously winning his maiden Grand Prix at the venue in 2024 before his team mate Oscar Piastri took victory last season.
Miami has also hosted a Sprint before, with this year being the third consecutive time the drivers will dash around the Miami International Autodrome.
Verstappen won the 2023 edition, and Norris was victorious last year – which was also memorable as Kimi Antonelli took Sprint pole, his first P1 grid slot of any kind as the youngster announced himself as one to watch, a statement he is making even clearer after a strong start to 2026.
What’s the circuit like to drive?
Miami boasts a street track, with looming walls ready to catch out the smallest of mistakes. As such, it is a stern test of driver skill – but compared to somewhere like Monaco, it is much, much faster.
In fact, it is more similar to Melbourne’s Albert Park in nature, but the Miami track winds around the iconic Hard Rock Stadium, with 19 corners to navigate.
There are three straights too, while the Turn 14-15 chicane is another test for the drivers, with an uphill approach which then drops on exit.
Those straights mean it is important to be good on the brakes, with overtaking opportunities into Turns 11 and 17. The track was resurfaced in 2023, which the drivers have approved of ever since.
And this year, the drivers will not have much time to perfect set-ups. Not only will they need to relearn the circuit under the new regulations, but they’ll also have to get to grips with heavily upgraded cars – all of which will make this track an even trickier test in 2026.
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer is a fan of the Miami circuit, explaining in more detail just what a challenge it provides for the grid.
“Miami is a bit of a mix of a couple of big braking events, which you get on a lot of modern circuits,” he explained.
“That’s Turn 11 and Turn 17, at the end of really long straights, so you’ve got to be good on the brakes. They’re obviously overtaking opportunities but also areas to make mistakes and lock up and blow a lap.
“The first sector is a fast, sweeping set of corners through S-Bends and you’ve got to pick your line, watch the kerbs – that’s important – and if you get fractionally off line you can lose track grip.
“The triple apex left-hander, Turns 6-8, is tough on the front-right tyre and a particular problem in the race, and the exit is crucial as it leads onto a long straight.”
Where are the Straight Mode zones and overtake detection?
There is no DRS this year, instead the cars are sporting ‘Active Aero’ which allows them to flatten both the front and rear wings in ‘Straight Mode’. This reduces drag, making them more efficient as they barrel down the straights.
You do not have to be within a second of the car in front to use it, Straight Mode is available every lap in dry conditions – but only in certain places. The front and rear wings will revert to their standard positions for the corners, to increase downforce.
Miami boasts three straights, so the drivers will be able to flatten those wings after Turn 8 down to Turn 11, between Turns 16 and 17, and on the start-finish straight down to Turn 1.
With no DRS, instead the drivers have Overtake Mode to utilise when they are withing a second of the car in front at the detection point. This allows the drivers to recharge an extra +0.5MJ and generate an additional electrical power profile.
In Miami, the detection point is between Turns 17 and 18 towards the end of the lap, meaning drivers can use Overtake Mode down the start-finish straight in a bid to overtake the car in front before, or into, Turn 1.
