Formula 1 Racing

How the Miami GP will and won’t change when F1 returns for its second race · RaceFans

How the Miami GP will and won't change when F1 returns for its second race · RaceFans

Liberty Media can hardly be accused of underplaying the addition of a third American round of the world championship to the Formula 1 calendar for 2023. The buzz around the Las Vegas Grand Prix is huge and the race is still eight months away.

Long before then, F1 will return to Miami for the second edition of Liberty’s other major new event on the schedule. While the inaugural race around the Hard Rock Stadium last year was an undoubted hit, there were also clear areas for improvement.

The promoters went all-out to offer the full Miami experience to a crowd of 80,000 fans. The event had a beach club in the middle of the track complete with a much-mocked ‘fake marina’, gondolas were built for fans and VIPs to get a birds-eye view of the action and some of Miami’s top restaurants set up camp by a nightclub at turn one.

But, for some, the Miami’s first grand prix fell short of the five-star experience the promoters intended to offer. Attendees complained of traffic congestion in and out of the track and sub-standard organisation once inside the circuit’s grounds.

Epp (second from right) attended the Bahrain Grand Prix last week

The Paddock Club was the big talking point after the race with reports the high-end experience left much to be desired. F1 top-level package comes with a hefty price tag, but after reportedly running out of food and drink over the weekend there were rumours many clients demanded refunds. Other attendees reported difficulty finding water supplies as temperatures reached 32C, and difficulty navigating their way around the Miami International Autodrome, situated in the car park of the local NFL team’s stadium grounds.

With among the dearest ticket prices on the F1 calendar last season, the promotors knew improvements were needed to keep fans coming back. Tyler Epp, president of the Miami Grand Prix, said a lot has been evaluated over the last ten months.

“One thing I’ve learned has been that every first-year event has challenges and I think we certainly had them,” Epp began in an exclusive interview for RaceFans. “But I would tell you that we still view the first year as a very good success for us.

“We think about it in terms of stakeholders and who the people are that are most important to us and making sure that we’re delivering the experience that either they’re paying for – or a team or F1. Whoever it is, it needs to be able to operate and put on the event.

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