MIAMI — The Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix roars into its second sprint race of the 2025 season today, May 3, with the green light set to flash at exactly noon local time. Fans packing the Hard Rock Stadium complex are bracing for a 100-kilometer dash that promises high-speed chaos on the 5.41-kilometer Miami International Autodrome.
The sprint, a 19-lap slugfest, follows yesterday’s sole practice session and a dramatic sprint qualifying that wrapped up late Friday. Unlike the main race, this shorter format skips mandatory pit stops, letting drivers floor it from start to finish. Points are up for grabs for the top eight finishers—eight for first, down to one for eighth—adding a juicy layer of stakes to the championship fight.
Today’s schedule doesn’t let up. After the sprint wraps around 1 p.m., teams will scramble to tweak setups before the main Grand Prix qualifying at 4 p.m. The Miami circuit, with its 19 corners, three straights, and potential for three DRS zones, demands precision. Drivers will wrestle with elevation changes, especially between Turns 13 and 16, where the track dips under flyovers and climbs over uneven ground.
The sprint race, introduced in 2021 to spice up Grand Prix weekends, marks Miami as the second of six sprint events this year. Gates opened at 11 a.m., with campus access starting at 11:30 a.m., giving fans plenty of time to soak in the pre-race buzz. The event runs under Miami’s warm May sun, with temperatures expected to hit the low 80s.
This weekend, the sixth round of the 2025 F1 season, sees the sport’s first of three U.S. stops. The main Grand Prix is slated for Sunday, May 4, at 4 p.m., but today’s sprint sets the tone. With only one practice session to dial in their cars, teams face a high-pressure Saturday, balancing speed and strategy on a track known for its unforgiving layout.