In September 2021, F1 announced that a new circuit was going to take part of the 2022 season: the Austin Grand Prix will in fact be combine with a second American race in Miami, which promises to be as sensational as the other sport events that made the American metropolis a well-known location for many sport lovers.
The American GP is for sure one of the most spectacular races in the F1 calendar each year, though not necessarily for the race itself, but mainly for the atmosphere and what revolves around it: the Paddock is usually crowed with international superstars enjoying the event and making the most of it, and the drivers – especially Daniel Ricciardo – seems to highly appreciate the American atmosphere.
It’s show time!
Formula 1 decided to go all-in this time, with a double American dates and has promised to give the fans a massive show.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the Formula 1 community and the sport’s fanbase worldwide are going to be amazed by what they see next May” has said Richard Cregan, CEO of the Miami Grand Prix. Well, only few days to go and the people are already definitely amazed after they’ve seen the first pictures from the new track.
The Miami GP will, in fact, take place in a brand-new circuit: the Miami International Autodrome, a purpose-built temporary circuit situated in the suggestive atmosphere of the Hard Rock Stadium. Home of the Miami Dolphins – the city’s NFL team – the latter, also known as Sun Stadium, is an illustrious temple of sport and has hosted a multitude of sport events, including American football, tennis matches, and now also car racing.
Being a temporary-built circuit, the track started to be assembled merely few weeks prior to the race date and only at the beginning of this week the first pictures commenced to spread all over the internet.
The fun-looking track layout, which resembles the first three corners of Brazil’s Interlagos circuit, has 19 turns and promises to be quick, with lap time times along the lines of those seen at Imola. One of the turns has specifically drawn the attention of the fans: the “Mia Marina” (turn 6, 7 and 8) looked suspiciously like Monaco’s Harbor, which is filled every year with copious yachts where the richest – and luckiest – F1 fans can watch the race.
“Mia Marina” is indeed a laguna, not a real one, but with fake-painted water and many yachts parked on top of it.
from motorsport.com and eurosport
Was this really necessary? What’s the point in recreating a little Monaco when we already have one the calendar?
It’s not like the Miami GP needed the yachts to make it luxurious and prestigious, the location itself would have provided unique watching points, such as the top of the stadium itself – as the rumors whispers – and also a hospitality village with premium services was built. Actually, the Miami GP will in all likelihood be the most expensive race to attend, even for less wealthy fans who just want to enjoy the battle on track from normal – and what seems to now be old style – grandstands, since the cheapest 3-day grandstands seat were priced $640 USD.
Watching the race and enjoying the battle on track: wasn’t this the point of attending a grand prix? It seems like it’s not anymore, at least that’s not what the Miami GP is all about. In fact, besides the yachts and the fake water, what made the fans turn up their nose was the “race weekend lineup” posted on the official Miami GP’s Instagram account.
Coachella may have just ended a few weeks ago, but the organizers of the Miami GP seem to have decided to extend the music festival and create one of their own, with international artists playing since the first day of the racing weekend.
Comments like “If I didn’t know there was a race that weekend, I’d have thought this was the Coachella program” were all over Twitter.
Where does Formula 1 want to go? What’s going to be its future? Were the yachts and the music festival really necessary? Is it because the racing part it’s not as ecstatic as it used to be? Or is it just a marketing strategy to gain new fans?
What’s the essence of a racing weekend nowadays?
Personally, I’m not in the position to answer these questions, but one thing I know for sure: with the last championship that saw a new driver winning the title after years of dominance from a single one, and with the current championship and a new rivalry battling for the title with only 4 races in the bag so far and already so many coups de théâtre, well I believe the condiments are really not necessary and the racing is a more than satisfying main course that we should all enjoy thoroughly.
