2022 F1 Miami GP: 5 key questions heading into the race

The first edition of the F1 Miami GP is just around the corner. The scheduling of the race is a clear indication of F1's drive to enter and establish itself in the American market.

The Miami GP will be the first of the two races in the country and more importantly, it is the fifth race of a season that is promising to deliver something special through the new regulations.

The first four races have seen a competitive rivalry develop between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc as the two top contenders have emerged from Ferrari and Red Bull. However, heading into the first-ever Miami GP, there are still some questions hanging in the air that need to be answered.

So without further ado, let's jump straight into them and take a look at a few key questions before the Miami GP.

#1 Is the Miami GP ready?

One of the more crucial questions that get asked whenever F1 goes to a new circuit is whether it is completely ready. How is the track? What are the contingency plans for stoppages and rain? How is the asphalt, is it too slippery like the first-ever race in Austin? Or is it as grippy as we had in Turkey last season?

How big will the crowd be? Are the facilities in place for them? There are so many questions that remain are more or less unanswered until we see a Grand Prix take place in that location. The first race at a track is arguably never the cleanest as there are always some teething issues, but what the Miami GP needs to show is whether it is ready for F1, the answer to which will be out in the open during the weekend.

#2 What impact will the rain have on teams' preparations?

Rain is expected to play spoilsport throughout the weekend as heavy downpour is expected on Friday and Sunday, while some very light showers could take place on Saturday as well. The track for the Miami GP is brand new. It hasn't seen any race take place, let alone F1. The teams, despite having their simulation equipment running overtime, are going into the race blind.

With rain expected to cause disruptions throughout the weekend, what kind of impact will it have on the preparations of the teams? Will the teams opt to run in the wet weather conditions regardless during the Free Practice sessions? Or will they sit out and try to preserve the equipment? There are some intriguing questions in play for before the Miami GP.

#3 Will Ferrari be able to match Red Bull's top speed with the new upgrades

Ferrari have produced fantastic machinery for the 2022 F1 season. The car is fantastic in all conditions, and if the FP1 conditions were any indication, it is on rails even in wet weather conditions. Having said that, Ferrari's direct competitor Red Bull hold a slight advantage over the rest of the field in terms of performance in the fast-speed corners as well as at top speed.

With the Miami GP expected to have some ridiculously long straights, the top-speed factor might get accentuated on this track. Having said that, Ferrari is expected to use its power unit and unlock much more this weekend for both its drivers. Not only that, a new rear wing is expected to be introduced to boost straight-line speed. Will it work? Guess we'll have to wait and watch how the two teams compare on the track.

#4 Another damage-limitation weekend for Mercedes?

Mercedes is holding off major upgrade for Barcelona which is the sixth race of the season. The team is bringing in a few new parts to the Miami GP that should help in the meantime.

However, two of the biggest challenges faced by Mercedes at Imola were the inability to generate temperature in its tires and excessive, almost violent, porpoising of the car down the straights.

The Miami GP is expected to have rain this weekend and the track layout shows that having a strong straight-line speed is crucial to doing well on this track. Does this mean another weekend of pain for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell? We'll have to wait and see how the Mercedes challenger reacts on the track.

#5 Which midfield team will have the edge?

It does appear that at least for now, the top 4 teams are in somewhat of a league of their own. Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren have shown that they do hold some advantage over the rest of the field. However, the battle for P5 in the championship is still open. Teams like Haas, Alfa Romeo, Alpine, and Alpha Tauri have been strong at different stages this season with no clear pecking order in place.

It will be interesting to see which of these teams will hold the edge over the others in the battle for the best of the rest.