Antonelli set for Miami media duties as Verstappen and Hamilton missing

It has been exactly one month since Kimi Antonelli claimed his second victory of the season with a stunning win at Suzuka - a result that still sees him leading the world championship and standing as the youngest driver ever to do so.

On the other side of the garage, George Russell has temporarily lost his status as championship leader, although he remains the favourite for the title despite the remarkable rise of his teammate. After weeks of silence, speculation and uncertainty, the main protagonists are finally set to speak again ahead of a weekend that could prove pivotal for the remainder of the season.

As usual, Thursday will be dedicated to media activities before the cars hit the track on Friday, with the drivers split into two groups of three for the FIA press conferences. Nico Hulkenberg, Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri will speak first at 13:00 local time (18:00 UK time). Half an hour later, Isack Hadjar, Carlos Sainz and current championship leader Kimi Antonelli will take to the microphone.

Friday, meanwhile, will feature the team principals’ press conference at 14:30 local time (19:30 UK time), with Mattia Binotto representing Audi, Frederic Vasseur appearing for Ferrari and James Vowles attending on behalf of Williams. As always, the top three finishers after the sprint, qualifying and the Grand Prix itself will also speak to the media across Saturday and Sunday.

The FIA has announced that Free Practice 1 for the Miami Grand Prix weekend will now last 90 minutes, with the session scheduled from 12:00 to 13:30 local time. As a result, all on-track activities taking place before FP1 have been moved forward by 30 minutes.

The decision comes after discussions between the FIA and stakeholders, with the extended session introduced due to the long break since the last race, the recent technical and regulatory tweaks, and the reduced practice time available during sprint weekends.

Miami will also host Formula 2 in order to avoid a three-month gap in the feeder series’ calendar, adding even more track action for fans throughout the weekend. See the full schedule here.