F1 Miami Grand Prix live updates: Follow latest from today’s race with Verstappen on pole

I remember coming to Miami for the first time in 2022, how novel and exciting it all felt. That was pre-Las Vegas, and marked the next major step in F1’s American expansion.

Now into its fourth year, there’s not quite the same spark. But that’s a good thing. In the nicest possible way, Miami now feels like just another race, established and mature.

The fact the F1 paddock is literally in the middle of the Hard Rock Stadium still fills me with a lot of joy. The grand prix has become one of the biggest events in a year filled with big moments for Miami’s sporting scene, and it’s wonderful to see how the Dolphins have embraced that — right down to the custom driver jerseys in the locker room that hosts the press conferences this weekend.

It’s a slickly run event, meaning when I say it’s just another race, from an operational standpoint and as something to look forward to, it does rank highly. Fernando Alonso said yesterday he thought it was one of the best events on the calendar, and I’m inclined to agree.

This is a race people relish going to rather than dread, which is the case for some other races.

So no, there isn’t the same unknown in Miami there once was. But that’s only a good thing.