Formula 1 returns to the Sunshine State for a third year, and we take a look at the history of the Miami International Autodrome.
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Circuit Stats
| Track Length | 5.412km |
| Number of Laps | 57 |
| Race Lap Record | 1:29.708 (Max Verstappen – 2023) |
| Qualifying Lap Record | 1:26.841 (Sergio Perez – 2023) |
| First Grand Prix | 2022 |
| First Race Winner | Max Verstappen |
| 2023 Race Winner | Max Verstappen |
Circuit History
The Miami International Autodrome has all the feel of a permanent race circuit, despite being a temporary installation. Debuting in 2022, the Miami International Autodrome is a 19-turn circuit set in the Hard Rock Stadium complex.
Welcome to Miami
Miami is no stranger to motorsports. IndyCar races were held on the downtown streets in the 1980’s. The Homestead-Miami Speedway now hosts IndyCar, along with Nascar, the IMSA SportsCar Championship, AMA Superbike Championship and much more. Formula E made a brief appearance at the AmericanAirlines Arena in 2015, before moving further north.
Whilst discussions had previously been held with Bernie Ecclestone about bringing Formula 1 to Miami, it never came to fruition. However, in January 2018, Formula 1 (now under the ownership of Liberty Media) announced an F1 Live event to be hosted in Miami. Four months later, they announced a full race would be held in 2019.
Designing the Circuit
Formula 1 brought in Apex Circuit Designs to create a track in the downtown area. Initial designs had the circuit begin on Bayfront Park, before heading along the waterfront, over Port Boulevard bridge to Dodge Island, then back again.
The reaction to this early design was a stormy mixture of heated uproar and lackluster enthusiasm. The Biscayne Neighborhoods Association (BNA) were vocal in their opposition. They cited that there had been a lack of communication before the announcement was made. They also raised concerns that the event would mean they had extra bills to pay.
The initial design wasn’t even safe from the criticism of the drivers. Lewis Hamilton said “Miami is a super cool place, and I was very, very excited to hear about it. And then I saw the layout.”
Regardless, the plans forged ahead and, in July 2018, Formula 1 announced that Miami’s City Commission would vote on a 10-year deal for the race. This also included a further 10-year option. It also, critically, included no hosting fee – something that caused outrage with organisers of F1 races across the globe.
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A New Approach
By April 2019, it was clear that a race would not be happening that year. The sheer volume of opposition from all angles meant a new approach was needed. Enter, Stephen Ross.
Owner of the Hard Rock Stadium (home of the Miami Dolphins NFL franchise), Stephen Ross offered a lifeline to the Miami Grand Prix dream. His proposed site already had considerable areas for car parking. The roads around the stadium also meant there were plenty of options for the designers.
The design team at Apex drew up a total of 75 variations for the track configuration. After managing to whittle this down to 36 different designs, simulations and testing could begin. However, further legal challenges soon made life difficult once again for the proposed race. With 2020’s race schedule coming and going, Miami missed out once more. Add in the Coronavirus pandemic, and things only got more complicated for what now seemed like a distant vision.
No Pain, No Gain
It was clear that a lot of work needed to be done to meet the concerns of local residents. The original plan to include a section along 199th Street was altered, so that it ran alongside it instead. Residents were also reassured that noise mitigation barriers would be installed, and that air quality would be closely monitored throughout the event.
A revised deal was negotiated between Stephen Ross and Mayor Rodney Harris, seeing the city receive $5 million in funding over 10 years for residents and businesses. A STEM programme was also funded, allowing for high school and college students to engage with paid internships. Finally, the deal was done. In April 2021, the Miami-Gardens Commissioners voted to approve the deal. The Miami Grand Prix was officially announced, with the debut race to be held in 2022.
Construction began in April 2021. Over the next 12 months, a total of 24,000 tons of asphalt and 1,130 tons of concrete were used to create the track, grandstands, fan zones and corporate areas. On September 1st 2021, the Pit Building foundations were laid, and all permanent features for the track were completed in January 2022.
In September 2021, it was also announced that the circuit would officially be named the Miami International Autodrome. After so many setbacks and complications, Formula 1 was finally ready to race in the Sunshine State.
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Iconic Moment
The last 10 laps of the 2022 Miami Grand Prix were intense, as Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc battled it out for the top spot on the podium.
On lap 41, Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris collided and brought out the virtual safety car. Moments later, the real safety car took to the track. Verstappen’s 7-second lead over Leclerc was eliminated as the pack bunched up. The safety car returned to the pits on lap 46, which meant there were just 10 laps remaining in the race.
Leclerc was within the critical 1-second zone when DRS reactivated, allowing him to pile the pressure on. The Ferrari stuck with the Red Bull and looked to be presenting a real challenge to Verstappen, who had to race the wheels off his car to keep the Monégasque behind him. Ferrari had brought the fight to the Red Bulls (with Sainz also having a stellar battle with Perez for 3rd position). Verstappen ultimately took the chequered flag with a 3.786 second lead, but he’d had to work for it – and in the age of Red Bull dominance, that’s something to get excited about.
What’s your iconic Miami Grand Prix moment? Let us know in the comments!