Formula 1 is back after an unexpected one-month hiatus because of the war in the Middle East, and somehow the series has reconvened in Miami, right where we were and not where we were, if that makes sense.
It may not, but I’ll explain.
Through the first three races, there were two clear-cut top teams: Mercedes and Ferrari. Mercedes’ driver Kimi Antonelli had also won two straight Grand Prix coming into Miami, and is the current championship leader.
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However, teams brought a considerable number of upgrades — plus the FIA and F1 have tuned the regulations a little after some team feedback — and suddenly, we’ve got more teams battling toward the front.
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This was noticeable in Saturday morning’s Sprint, which featured a McLaren 1-2, led by reigning world champion Lando Norris.
But the bigger shakeup came in qualifying.
While the Silver Arrows’ 19-year-old superstar took pole by around a tenth and a half, what was surprising was that he was battling Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Red Bull had massive struggles through the first three rounds of the season and, even to Verstappen’s surprise during his post-session interview, was battling for pole.
Even wilder, there are four different teams represented on the first two rows of the grid: Mercedes with Antonelli on pole, Red Bull with Verstappen in P2, Ferrari with Charles Leclerc in P3 and McLaren with Norris in P4.
Now, all eyes are going to be on the start of what is expected to be a wet race.
Starts have been the Achilles’ heel for Mercedes, and especially Antonelli this season, something that was seen on Saturday morning during the Sprint.
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Fortunately for him, Verstappen’s starts haven’t been much better, but unfortunately, starting right behind Antonelli is Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, and the Scuderia’s cars have been absolute missiles off the line all season long (really since preseason testing).
So even with the short run into Turn 1 at the Miami International Autodrome, which is just under 200 meters, I think we’re going to see Leclerc jump at least one, maybe both, of the cars on the front row.
Maybe the wet weather can reduce that Ferrari advantage when the lights go out, but even if it does, Antonelli has Verstappen — a wet-weather fiend — alongside him.
Antonelli’s best chance of his third-straight Grand Prix will be best if he can get off the line cleanly and keep the lead out of Turn 1, but no matter what, this is shaping up to be the biggest challenge of his championship campaign so far.