The Miami Grand Prix is a big moment for the evolution of Formula 1, a huge opportunity for the sport to increase its reach, but ultimately, it’s a crucial occasion for reigning champion Max Verstappen to stamp his authority on the 2022 season.
Forget the carnival atmosphere, the faux marina and the beach paradise novelties, there’s clinical, hard racing to come across the weekend – and we can’t wait for it!
Red Bull looked cosy at Imola. They stormed to a one-two and had no flickers of reliability issues that had threatened to destabilise their title defence. Looking at their pace now, they have to be the favourites to put their man, Verstappen, on top of the driver standings by December once again.
Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton is in trouble, however. He fell way short of the top pack at Imola and was left in the dust by teammate George Russell. Hamilton will be determined to claw his way back into contention here.
There’s plenty of intrigue with this one given that we’ve not raced here before on the temporary street circuit, but who will master the surface at the first time of asking and make the most of their weekend in the Sunshine State?
RadioTimes.com brings you our top predictions ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in 2022.
Miami Grand Prix predictions
1. Another Red Bull one-two
Red Bull have pace. Serious, serious pace. Had Verstappen’s car not decided to call it a day twice in the opening three races, he had the race pace to rack up a pair of P2s to go with his two race wins in 2022 so far.
If Red Bull truly have got to the bottom of their issues, they are the team to beat. Early enthusiasm about Ferrari was not unfounded, but it was naive to think they would dominate this season from start to finish as many believed.
Sergio Perez also doesn’t get anywhere near enough credit for his exploits in Red Bull. He has provided the team with the best ‘second driver’ on the grid, he has an outstanding, authentic bond with Verstappen, and he will be a mainstay on the podium all season long.
2. A red flag in the race
It’s a new track, it’s going to be full of overtaking, and it’s going to rain. If you were looking for a potent recipe for a red flag, these are the core ingredients.
The last two races, at Melbourne and Imola, have not encouraged overtaking (Hamilton is still, at this moment, attempting a move on Pierre Gasly), but Miami appears to be fertile ground for getting up close, personal and beyond competitors.
Naturally, as overtakes rise, so too will the risk of a spin or seven. A smearing of rain would slick the surface enough to add another variable of concern into the pot and the street circuit walls will prove cold and unforgiving to anyone who loses it.
3. McLaren double ahead of Mercedes
McLaren started the season in dire straits but credit to their engineering team for tuning the car into competitive form.
Lando Norris finished on the podium last time out and Daniel Ricciardo finished P6 in both qualifying and the sprint race. Of course, the latter’s race was severely tainted by his first-lap collision with Carlos Sainz, but there’s plenty of cause for optimism in the case of both drivers.
As mentioned previously, Russell appears to be handling the sluggish Mercedes more adeptly than Hamilton but as McLaren make gains and Toto Wolff’s team continue to metaphorically spin in the gravel, Norris and Ricciardo could do the double over the German constructors here.
Who will win the Miami Grand Prix?
Red Bull have found their groove. Their race pace was never in doubt, but now they’re showing their reliability over the course of a full Grand Prix, it’s going to take something special to reel them in.
Perez will win races in 2022, but it’s hard to see beyond another untouchable drive from Verstappen out in front.
Winner: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
How to watch Miami Grand Prix on TV
The Miami Grand Prix will air live on Sky Sports F1 from 7pm on Sunday 8th May 2022.
All races will be shown live on Sky Sports F1 and Main Event throughout the season.
Sky customers can add individual channels for just £18 per month or add the complete sports package to their deal for just £25 per month.
There will also be free-to-air highlights of the race on Channel 4 from 12:30am in the early hours of Monday.
Live stream Miami Grand Prix online
Existing Sky Sports customers can live stream the race via the Sky Go app on a variety of devices.
You can watch the Grand Prix with a NOW Day Membership for £11.99 or a Monthly Membership for £33.99, all without signing up to a contract.
NOW can be streamed through a computer or apps found on most smart TVs, phones and consoles. NOW is also available via BT Sport.
If you’re looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub.
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