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(From left) Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen
Credit: Kym Illman/Getty; Hector Vivas - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty; Clive Mason/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- The 2026 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix takes place from Friday, May 1 to Sunday, May 3
- There's a diverse group of drivers to watch, from rising newcomers to F1 legends
- The Miami Grand Prix picks up after a five-week, 35-day hiatus from competition
The countdown to the 2026 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix is on!
While it can be hard to catch them as they whiz around the 3.36-mile Miami International Autodrome track at upwards of 200 to 205 mph, be sure to keep your eyes out for these F1 drivers on Sunday, May 3.
The Miami Grand Prix is an exciting one for various reasons—this year, especially. In addition to the star-studded attendees, who are expected to swarm the sports scene much like years past, this race marks a long-awaited return from a five-week, 35-day hiatus from competition.
Prior to the break in the F1 schedule, which paused due to cancelations of the Bahrain Grand Prix (April 12) and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (April 19) due to ongoing security concerns in the Middle East, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka on March 29.
The victory was a monumental one for the 19-year-old Italian driver, who became the youngest driver to lead the Formula One World Championship. The event at Suzuka International Racing Course marked his second consecutive pole and victory.
Heading into the Miami Grand Prix, which consists of 57 laps around the track, and features 12 left-hand turns and seven right-hand turns, Antonelli leads the F1 Drivers' Championship with 72 points, followed closely by Mercedes teammate George Russell with 63 points.
Now, read on for the F1 drivers to watch in Miami.
Kimi Antonelli
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy walks in the paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami
Credit: Kym Illman/Getty
All eyes are on the 19-year-old Antonelli, who is on a history-making winning streak with two consecutive victories at the Chinese Grand Prix and the Japanese Grand Prix. As a result, the Italian, in his second F1 season, is the youngest driver in Formula 1 history to lead the World Championship.
Antonelli recently opened up about feeling more confident this time around, noting he feels "stronger" than he did his rookie season.
"I feel more in control of the situation. Obviously, having done all the tracks last year, definitely it's helping this year so far. Also, having done a race weekend also helps because I know better what to expect," Antonelli said in an April interview, per F1.
"I know better how to move around, how to manage myself during the weekend," he said. "Definitely, the experience of last year is playing a massive role into this year so far. I just feel more relaxed, more confident. For sure, this might even help in those tracks where last year I struggled a lot."
The rising Italian star, who joins Mercedes’ new era after Lewis Hamilton’s departure, asserted his dominance just two races into the season. Now, the hungry driver is looking to go full speed ahead toward another victory.
"The goal ready for Miami is to be back from where we left in Japan, or even be back even stronger from where we left," he said.
Lewis Hamilton
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Lewis Hamilton arrives in the paddock ahead of the F1 Miami Grand Prix
Credit: Hector Vivas - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty
Lewis Hamilton is always one to watch as a seven-time world champion in Formula 1. Now behind the wheel for Ferrari, the British driver is chasing a bold comeback after a tough 2025 season, which he called the "worst" of his storied career.
Hamilton secured his first Formula 1 podium finish of the year on March 15, finishing third at the Chinese Grand Prix. The victory also doubled as his first win since switching teams to Ferrari after 12 years with Mercedes.
"To see them listen and put some of those things that I’d asked for on the car — I’m just incredibly grateful to them for listening on that side of things," Hamilton told reporters after the race, per the AP. "It just makes you feel more united with everyone because you’re moving in the same direction."
Hamilton, who holds the record for the most Formula 1 World Drivers' Championships with Michael Schumacher, has been vocal about his disappointing year last season, which included his first-ever last place finish at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The 41-year-old driver was despondent when speaking with the press after the race in November 2025.
"It's been the worst season ever. No matter how much I try it keeps getting worse," Hamilton said, according to ESPN.
Hamilton enters the Miami Grand Prix in fourth place in the drivers' standings. Although he's never stood at the top of the podium at this stop, having a record-breaking 105 Grand Prix victories to his name keeps Ferrari fans highly optimistic.
Max Verstappen
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Max Verstappen steps out at the paddock ahead of the 2026 Miami Grand Prix
Credit: Clive Mason/Getty
Can Max Verstappen really be stopped? The Dutch driver is adapting to Red Bull Racing’s new Ford Powertrain, but his confidence and ruthless consistency ensure it poses no obstacle for the four-time F1 titleholder.
When the Miami race was added to the calendar in 2022, Verstappen secured back-to-back victories. The 28-year-old won the debut Grand Prix and defended his title in 2023. He is the only driver to have won this race more than once as of the end of the 2025 season.
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However, Verstappen has been open about the ongoing challenges he's facing with his car this season, and weighed his performance against spending more time with his family. He and longtime girlfriend Kelly Piquet became first-time parents to daughter Lily last April.
Verstappen has been moving at full speed since making his Formula 1 debut in 2015 at the age of 17. Shortly after, he became the youngest driver to win a race at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix when he was 18 years, seven months old.
Heading into the Miami Grand Prix, Verstappen is ranked ninth amongst drivers this season with 12 points. If there's one thing that makes the Dutch phenom an exciting driver to watch, it's his ability to execute comebacks and finish where it matters most — at the front.
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