After years of plans and rumors, the Miami Grand Prix is finally official. The race will join the Formula 1 calendar in 2022 and will be held at Hard Rock Stadium.
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The stadium, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, will sit at the very heart of the circuit, which F1 says will be 3.36 miles long and feature 19 corners and three straights.
Miami Gardens signed a 10-year deal with Formula 1, making it the second United States city to be featured on the modern calendar after Austin, and the 11th U.S. location in the sport’s history after Indianapolis, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Long Beach, and Detroit, among others.
“The US is a key growth market for us, and we are greatly encouraged by our growing reach in the US which will be further supported by this exciting second race,” said Stefano Domenicali, F1’s new president and CEO. “We will be working closely with the team from Hard Rock Stadium and the FIA to ensure the circuit delivers sensational racing but also leaves a positive and lasting contribution for the people in the local community.”
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F1 released the above video previewing the track (using a modified version of the popular Assetto Corsa racing simulator), which has had a mixed reception. Fans of the sport lamented the introduction of yet another street race, likening its long straights and uninspired flatness to other recently introduced street circuits in Azerbaijan’s Baku and Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah.
Since Liberty Media took over the rights to F1 in 2017, they have been keen on adding a new race in Miami, though Las Vegas and New York were also options. Initial plans included a 2019 race in downtown Miami but local residents opposed the event.
Despite F1’s many appearances at various United States locations, the sport has had a tough time making a lasting positive impression on Americans (not helped by the debacle at the 2005 Indianapolis Grand Prix). Liberty Media hopes that with two U.S. races on the calendar, including the new Miami Grand Prix, F1 can begin to make a genuine impact on American audiences.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.