Miami Grand Prix added to 2022 F1 calendar

PARIS: The Miami Grand Prix will join the Formula One calendar from the 2022 season, organisers said on Sunday, in a 10-year deal that adds a second American race to the championship after the United States GP in Austin.

In a statement F1 said that the race, which does not yet have a scheduled date, will take place at a new track round the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens north of the Florida city.

“We are thrilled to announce that Formula 1 will be racing in Miami beginning in 2022,” said F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

“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.”

F1 said the track will be 5.41km long with high-speed straights which should allow top speeds of 320 Km/h and “multiple overtaking opportunities”.

Controlled since 2017 by the American group Liberty Media, F1 was planning on having a Miami GP in 2019 but hit a roadblock with local authorities.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who finished second to world champion Lewis Hamilton in the 2021 season’s opening race in Bahrain, said he was “excited” about the new GP.

“I’m sure if they build a good track, we can have a lot of fun out there and hopefully we’ll bring a lot of excitement so the fans can of course enjoy the race,” he said in a Red Bull statement.

The Hard Rock Stadium is the home of the NFL team Miami Doplhins and also hosted the recent Miami Open tennis tournament.