F1: Good weather forecast for today’s sold-out Miami GP

–by Mark Cipolloni–

It is warm again this year in Miami for the 2nd running of the Miami GP, but it is not quite as unbearable as the weather was last year.

It rained hard last night around 10:30pm and washed most of the rubber off the track unfortunately – a track the drivers say is much better now that it has been resurfaced.

At race time today the forecast is for partly sunny skies and temperatures around 80 degrees-F and a wind off the ocean at 18mph. The chance of precipitation is just 17%. Gusty winds yesterday caught several drivers out, and it could happen again today during the race.

The Paddock Club was jam-packed with the most people we’ve ever seen on a Paddock Walk tour. Can’t imagine what it will be like today – race day.

The grandstands and paddock club are all sold out for today, but race organizers struggled to reach that level because of the intense Miami sun (Miami is very far south and closer to the equator, making the sun intense). On Friday and Saturday, fans sought out shaded areas because it is uncomfortable sitting in the sun too long.

If this race is to survive long-term, organizers are going to have to make it more comfortable for the paying customers. Options include:

1. Make all the grandstand seats covered.  We do mean all.
2. Light the circuit and make it a late evening race when the sun is less intense
3. Move the race to early March, but that would mean moving the Miami Open Tennis Tournament back to Key Biscayne from which it came, or right after the race instead of before it.  Heat would then be a problem for the Tennis players.

Today’s USA TV Times