Formula 1: Miami premiere | Sports | DW

“I think this weekend is going to be very crazy,” Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen said ahead of the race weekend – if the Formula 1 makers are OK – they would be “giant”. An amazing new road, thousands of enthusiastic fans and a lot of stars and stars – the Miami Grand Prix is ​​set to become a sports party like the Super Bowl recognized all over the world. Basketball legend Michael Jordan, soccer icon David Beckham, Hollywood star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and more have announced their attendance.

Beach party with engine noise

For the masses, it must be some kind of beach party with the engine noise – very Miami-like. Watch the race with your feet in the sand and a drink in hand, as there are plenty of parties around town all weekend. With the action and the sparkling atmosphere, the Formula 1 makers want to further the boom in the racing series that has developed in the USA in recent years. 400,000 spectators are expected, and sometimes very expensive tickets (circuit tickets costing around $10,000 USD) have sold out within a very short time.

“The idea was to create a race where people who used to race would think, ‘This is different, it’s fun, this is exciting,'” said Tom Garfinkel, chief event strategist.

Mathematically speaking, the close duel between world champion Verstappen at Red Bull and challenger Charles Leclerc at Ferrari should continue and, at best, it should swing. After four of 22 races, Leclerc leads the championship standings with 27 points, ahead of Verstappen. The rivalry between the two has been fierce since their early days in junior karting. At the time, they really “hated” each other, Leclerc admitted recently in an interview.

Formula 1 is booming thanks to Netflix

Inconsistencies like these – even if they are seen by the public as greater than they really are – fully contribute to the expectations of fans who have become Formula 1 supporters with the Netflix series Drive for Survival. The racing series, especially in the USA, has gained many new fans thanks to the popular series from the streaming provider.

“The Netflix show has given the sport tremendous attention, and now it’s thriving,” says World Record Champion Lewis Hamilton. This is also reflected in the racing calendar. In 2023, Formula 1 rights holder Liberty Media – an American company – will host the third US Grand Prix in Las Vegas as well as races in Miami and Austin.

Formula 1 racing in the US is nothing new: the race in Miami is actually the 72nd Formula 1 Grand Prix on a US track. This makes the United States the fourth most-hosted G1 motorsport nation after Italy (103 races), Germany (79) and Great Britain (76). However, no other country has as many different racetracks as in the USA, where Miami is the eleventh place.

More Australia or more Bahrain?

The track, a temporary track in the Miami Gardens neighborhood, circles Hard Rock Stadium, where the Miami Dolphins Football Club plays. There are 19 corners spread over 5,412 kilometres. The maximum speed is expected to reach 320 km / h. The race distance is 57 laps. Using some quick left-right combinations, the course designers created a course similar to the one in Albert Park in Melbourne.

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Miami International Autodrome challenges drivers at multiple points with quick deliveries

In terms of the layout of the track, which also includes up and down extensions, the track with its long gorges and winding lanes is more reminiscent of the Bahrain International Circuit, even if – unlike Miami – it was running clockwise rather than counterclockwise.

Whether with the associations in Melbourne or Bahrain – Scuderia Ferrari would like to catch up on this small setback 6th place in Imola Their dream continues to start the season in Miami. “It’s great to be top of the championship, but we also know that the championship is very long and we have to work hard to maintain that position,” said Charles Leclerc.

The fake marina causes ridicule

The race in Florida will look like the Grand Prix at his home in Monte Carlo to Monaco. At one point, the road passes directly through the marina. However, the marina in Miami – very different from Monaco – is only a backdrop. Ten yachts, on which 400 fans can watch the race on Sunday, stand in the artificial harbor and twinkle in the sun. However, it is not in the water, but on plastic, which recently caused ridicule on social media.

“I think people are enjoying it,” says Tom Garfinkel, who is thrilled about the increased interest. “I think the people on yachts watching the race will have fun. He’s sure the people making fun of it will find it ‘fun and cool.'”

Rain as an additional factor?

How good the drivers are at the Miami Grand Prix will depend on the sporting success. This can be affected by the weather. The rainy season in Florida begins in May. Rain is also expected on Sunday afternoon local time when the race begins. Formula 1 racing in the rain has always been the most diverse and interesting – even if the announced beach party then failed.