Event
The Formula 1 engineer’s guide to the 2025 Miami Grand Prix in the United States
by Samarth Kanal
2min read
Formula 1 returns to Miami for the second sprint weekend of the 2025 F1 season where teams have just one hour of practice before four crucial on-track sessions.
Sign up for a weekly newsletter and we'll make sure you're fully up-to-date in the world of race technology
Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team deputy performance engineer Tim Wright explains the challenges that come with sprint weekends and reveals the key factor behind performance around the Miami International Autodrome, which circles the Miami Dolphins’s NFL stadium.
Miami International Autodrome, Miami, United States
Length: 5.412 kilometres
Number of laps: 57
Number of turns: 19
Tim Wright: “Track evolution is the key in Miami because this isn’t a permanent circuit. There won’t have been a load of cars running at the track every week of the year around here like there would be at somewhere like Suzuka or Barcelona.
“Miami is very much like a street circuit in places, not dissimilar to Sochi or Baku in some of the corners.
Pirelli's analysis of the Miami International Autodrome track characteristics
“Because it’s got very long straights, you can’t run a high level of downforce - your car’s got to be efficient, super smooth, like it should be at Baku [Azerbaijan].
“Miami is the second sprint weekend of the season after China, which means there’s just one hour-long practice session before sprint qualifying on Friday. That makes it difficult.
“Parc ferme rules in 2025 mean that you can change your car in free practice and then the set-up is locked in for sprint qualifying. You can change the car set-up between the end of the sprint and qualifying on Saturday.
“With the best will in the world you aren’t getting a brilliant view of how your car runs with a high fuel load after just one practice session - you’ve got to make your decisions as to whether you’re going to prioritise qualifying or the race.
Teams have just one hour of practice before sprint qualifying in Miami, with the sprint event and race qualifying following on Saturday before Sunday’s Grand Prix. Image courtesy of Pirelli
.jpg?cx=0.5&cy=0.5)
Car, Event, Innovation
Technical images from the 2025 Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix explained
“On some circuits, such as Baku - a prime example - race pace is everything, so you’ll ensure your car runs well with high fuel. Qualifying is not so important there as it would be at Miami or Monaco.
“The sprint is just harder and with these cars there’s so much to get right. Not only are you going to have to get the set-up in the right window from an aerodynamic point of view, you're not only going to get the balance right to ensure the driver has what they need to go fast and be confident in the car.
“You’ve also got to make sure the car is legal throughout the weekend - you can’t wear the plank assembly out - but you want to run the car as low as possible.
“Reliability is key, too. You can’t turn a blind eye to your brake temperatures or your cooling levels, these kinds of things.
“So, having only an hour to do that and set those things in stone for at least two sessions to come is a bit of a challenge.”
