After a week-long break, F1 is back on the grid this weekend as the best show on wheels heads to the land of the red, white, and blue — yep, it’s Miami GP time.
Rather than being a middle-of-the-night start for us Kiwis, you can actually wake up and catch the Grand Prix with your Monday morning coffee — lights out is at 8 a.m. The hope is that the race keeps the momentum going from the last two weekends, which have finally delivered some thrilling action after a pretty slow start to the season.
Where Do We Sit After Saudi Arabia?
A real message was sent to F1 — and to the McLaren team — as Oscar Piastri claimed back-to-back wins with his victory in Saudi Arabia, making it three victories from five races this season. The young Aussie has officially put the world on notice, rocketing up the driver standings and pulling 10 points clear of his teammate, Lando Norris.
But the season isn’t won after five races. Piastri will need to stay at the top of his game to keep both Norris and Verstappen at bay.
Looking at the team standings after the last race weekend, there weren’t a ton of shake-ups. McLaren is still comfortably out front, with Mercedes holding on to second — though Red Bull and Ferrari are hot on their heels.
What to expect in Miami?
Miami is another street track, with the iconic Hard Rock Stadium — home of the Miami Dolphins — right at its heart. Just like the city itself, the circuit brings serious energy. With 19 corners and three DRS zones, meaning drivers can hit wild speeds of up to 350 km/h.
Looking ahead to the weekend, it’s shaping up to be classic spring weather in Miami — warm at around 27°C, but with rain in the mix. That’s definitely something that’ll be on the minds of team principals as they lock in their race strategies.
My Pick – Oscar Piastri $2.50:
I know I tipped him last time out — and it paid off — so going back to the well might seem like lazy analysis. But honestly, I really do think Piastri’s the one to beat again. For starters, he’s one of only two drivers in a McLaren — which, right now, looks like the golden ticket to a race win. Pair that with the formidable form he’s in, and it’s hard to see anyone else crossing the chequered flag first.
Outsider – George Russell $13:
Since stepping into the number one seat for Toto this season, George Russell has been the model of consistency. So far, he’s been mixing it with the big dogs on the grid — three podiums and nothing worse than a top-five finish. With a solid qualifying and maybe a bit of luck, Russell could definitely put himself in position to steal a win this weekend.
My Pick – Carlos Sainz $1.75: One man who’s been settling into his new car more and more each week is former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz. It’s been a rough start to the season, but after grabbing his best result so far with an 8th-place finish last race, he’ll be looking to build on that momentum. He’s now in a Williams that’s shown some solid form in 2025, so all the ingredients are there for another top-10 finish this weekend.
Outsider Pick – Liam Lawson $3.50: It’s been a historically rocky start to the season for Lawson, especially after the high-profile move that saw him relegated to the Racing Bull seat, with Yuki Tsunoda taking his Red Bull seat after just two weekends. However, in Saudi Arabia, Lawson had his best finish of the season — 12th. With a week off and more time to adjust to his new car, Lawson could make a push into the top 10 this weekend.
My Pick – Ferrari $1.91: Ferrari are finally showing some life after a slow start to the season, with golden boy Charles Leclerc securing a podium finish last time out and Hamilton consistently floating around the top 6. With the week off, Ferrari will be hoping they’ve made a few tweaks to the car that could take them to the next level in Miami.