Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the Miami Grand Prix after a tight qualifying battle with Max Verstappen, while race organisers moved Sunday’s start time forward by three hours because of severe weather forecasts, according to a report from the Guardian on Saturday.
The Guardian reported that Antonelli’s lap was enough for a third consecutive pole, with Verstappen and Red Bull close behind. Soon after qualifying concluded, Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, along with Formula One Management and the Miami Grand Prix promoter, issued a joint statement confirming that the race would now begin at 1pm local time rather than late afternoon because of the threat of storms.
Antonelli claims pole in close fight with Verstappen
The Guardian’s account of Saturday’s qualifying session states that Antonelli delivered a strong lap under pressure to take pole position ahead of Verstappen. The margin between the two was described as narrow, underscoring how competitive the session was at the Miami International Autodrome.
According to the same report, the result gives Antonelli his third straight pole position. That run of qualifying form places him as the leading starter once again, with Verstappen and Red Bull described as “resurgent” after pushing Antonelli closely in Miami.
The Guardian report does not provide the full top-10 grid, but it identifies Antonelli on pole and Verstappen in second as the key outcome from qualifying. Those positions will define the front row for Sunday’s race under the revised schedule.
Race start moved earlier amid storm threat
After qualifying ended, the FIA, Formula One and the Miami race promoter issued a joint statement announcing a significant schedule change, the Guardian reported. The statement said the Miami Grand Prix would now start at 1pm local time, three hours earlier than originally planned.
The decision was attributed in the report to the threat of storms in the area later in the day on Sunday. By moving the start time forward, organisers aim to reduce the risk that heavy rain or thunderstorms could disrupt the race or create unsafe conditions for drivers, teams and spectators.
The Guardian’s coverage indicates that this was a coordinated decision between the sport’s governing body, its commercial rights holder and the local promoter, reflecting concern over the weather outlook for the original race window.
What the changes mean for Sunday’s Grand Prix
With Antonelli on pole and Verstappen alongside him on the front row, the Guardian report frames Sunday’s race as a continuation of a close on-track contest. Antonelli’s third consecutive pole gives him a strategic advantage at the start, while Verstappen’s improved pace in Miami sets up a direct fight into the first corner.
The earlier start time at 1pm local will also affect how teams prepare. While the Guardian piece does not go into operational detail, an advanced race start typically requires adjustments to race-day routines, including strategy briefings, tyre preparation and driver warm-up schedules, all of which will now take place earlier than originally planned.
Spectators attending the event will likewise need to adjust to the revised timetable, with gates, support events and transport arrangements expected to be brought forward in line with the new race start, based on standard practice at Formula One events when schedules are changed.
Limited independent confirmation so far
The Guardian is currently the primary outlet describing both Antonelli’s pole position over Verstappen and the three-hour shift in the race start time. Independent corroboration of the schedule change and detailed qualifying order beyond the front row remains limited at this stage and should be monitored as further official communications and reports are published.
However, the involvement of the FIA, Formula One and the Miami promoter in the joint statement, as described by the Guardian, indicates that the decision to move the start time is being treated as an official adjustment to the race weekend schedule.
Why this qualifying session and schedule shift matter
Antonelli’s pole, his third in succession according to the Guardian, reinforces his current run of form at the front of the grid and sets up another direct contest with Verstappen, a benchmark driver in recent Formula One seasons. The narrow margin reported between them in Miami suggests that the competitive order at the front remains tight.
The earlier race start underscores how weather can still force rapid changes to a modern Formula One weekend. With organisers bringing the lights out forward by three hours in response to forecast storms, teams and fans will be watching both the skies and the evolving race conditions as Sunday approaches.
Further updates from the FIA, Formula One and the Miami Grand Prix promoter are expected to clarify any additional timing or procedural changes if the weather forecast shifts again before the race.
