TAKE A VIRTUAL LAP OF THE AMAZING MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AUTODROME AHEAD OF MAY'S FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX
The sport of Formula One started back in 1950, and it’s widely regarded as the pinnacle of Motorsport with budgets that make any other form of motorsport look relatively amateur. Even though it’s been with us for so many years, the sport continues to gain popularity keeping it as one of the most publicised and televised events on the planet. In 2021 alone, combined television viewership of F1 races worldwide was calculated at a mind-blowing 445 million people. That’s television, there’s still a few online places to watch, as well as the Formula One app which has to be among the best apps ever created for a sporting event. The revenue to the holding company, Formula One Group, is massive. Pre-COVD it raked in over two billion dollars. While these events make big money, they also cost big money to host. It looks to be around $40 mil to get F1 to your local racetrack, provided it ticks all the boxes for safety, size and quality of the facilities.
One of the most exciting things to happen to the Formula 1 calendar is the addition of the Miami Grand Prix. This is the first time that an official Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Miami, which is a little confusing because the city has hosted a “Grand Prix of Miami” many times in the past, and it even used to host street races for IMSA, IndyCar and Trans-Am car race series. This is different, this is official. This is Formula 1. With this in mind, a normal street circuit just wouldn’t do properly. It works in Monaco, and at a few other cities around the world, but those circuits are well-established and normal life has been built around the tracks that are permanent, and the ones that are done in pop-up style have a street layout suitable for racing. To make sure the Miami Grand Prix isn’t just a once off, the Miami International Autodrome was planned. It’s a purpose-built temporary circuit around the Hard Rock Stadium and makes use of its private facilities as well as the suburb of Miami Gardens, Florida. The design is such that it’s both temporary and permanent. It can be broken down enough for normal Miami gardens life to carry on, and quickly assembled for race week. Of course not everyone is happy about this, many Miami residents are protesting the race and the track, but it’s a little late in the process for anything to be cancelled.
The Miami Autodrome track runs through some of the most picturesque scenery Miami has to offer, it’s on par with Monaco and Australia’s Albert Park Circuit. The track layout, as it will be raced on, promises some great racing action. The length of the track measures in at 5.41 km in length (3.36 mi) and it features no less than 19 corners, some possible to pass on, some not. The layout includes three straights, and there’s also been the addition of three DRS Zones to help with the nail biting action we’re expecting to see. Current Formula 1 cars will see an expected average speed of a high 224 km/h (139 mph), so with that in mind the track’s run-off and safety systems need to be the world’s best. Formula 1 doesn’t play when it comes to the safety of drivers and stewards.
With the Miami Grand Prix taking place over the weekend of the 8th of May, and with the track being almost completed, the SXdrv crew thought it was high time that we could all see the new circuit and have a go checking it out, albeit virtually. It certainly looks like an amazing set of corners and straights, and while it will be amazing to see the Formula 1 cars at battle on the tarmac, we think the support races could be equally as entertaining. The viewing decks scattered around the venue are amazing, and as usual in Formula 1, you can see the sections where mere mortals won’t be able to enter, being reserved for the VVIP kinds. This is why watching from your favourite motorsport bar or mate’s place, you get to see all the amazing visuals and all the action and never miss a thing.
To promote the event, there’s a massive party coming up too, which we think will be just amazing, but the jealous part of us think it’ll be rained out. The Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix Opening Party will feature Musical Performances Heineken that will be headlined by superstar DJ Kygo along with special guests. This mad party will take place on the amazing podium built on the south side of Hard Rock Stadium, which makes up the base for the Miami track circuit.
Take a look at the YouTube video about the track layout for the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Miami at the Miami Autodrome below: F1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX CAMPUS TOUR | F1 Miami Grand Prix
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Cars Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens Miami International Autodrome Miami GP Miami Grand Prix GP Formula One Formula 1 F1