After Formula 1's unexpected break, here's what you need to know ahead of the Miami Grand Prix

In an effort reduce battery management, F1 has tweaked its engine rules ahead of the Miami Grand Prix after multiple meetings between drivers and teams. Will they make a big impact? Who knows.

The overall crux of the battery issue is unchanged, however. The battery capacity of an F1 car is 4 megajoules. But the maximum permitted recharge during a qualifying lap has been 8MJ. That means a driver had the ability to deploy the battery power in his engine twice over the course of a lap … but only if he recharged the battery in the interim.

That 8MJ limit is now down to seven. And the battery boost in race conditions has also been limited.

How this all plays out remains to be seen. But it’s likely to reduce the type of situation that we saw in Japan, when Ollie Bearman had a hard crash when he closed in on Franco Colapinto entering a corner thanks to their massive straight-line speed difference due to battery management.

Which cars have gone on a diet?

Red Bull has been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2026 season. Four-time champion Max Verstappen is ninth in the standings. Isack Hadjar is 12th. And he has four points.

A big reason why could be the weight of the team’s car. There have been suggestions that the car is significantly above the 768 kilogram minimum weight. And every additional KG over the minimum adds lap time.

Williams has also been dealing with weight issues on its new car. And it is struggling too. After earning best of the rest status in 2025 behind McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, Williams driver Carlos Sainz has the team’s only two points of the season. If Red Bull and Williams have been able to shed some kilos, they could start to perform near their potential.

What about Aston Martin and Honda?

The disaster of the 2026 season is Aston Martin’s partnership with Honda. The team’s cars are shaky — literally — and also very slow. That’s a terrible combination.

Neither Fernando Alonso or Lance Stroll has scored a point so far this season. It’s a far cry from 2023, when Alonso finished fourth in the season standings and scored podium finishes in five of the first six races.

But you probably shouldn’t expect any big leap in Aston Martin’s performance in Miami. The Honda engines are still very underpowered. Even if the team can get its vibration issue under control, the cars may not get much faster.

A look at the betting odds

You’ll be unsurprised to know that Russell and Antonelli are the massive favorites at BetMGM.

Each driver is +150 to win, with Piastri at +800 and 2025 F1 champion Lando Norris at 10-1 along with Leclerc. Hamilton is 14-1 and no one else has odds better than Verstappen’s 33-1.

After that, it’s longshot city. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly is 150-1 and everyone else follows. Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez are each 2000-1. While those odds might be tempting in a 22-car field, we don’t recommend you make that wager.