Each Formula 1 race has its own identity. And many circuits have their “thing”: a widely known feature that you won’t find anywhere else.
Monaco is known for the Nouvelle Chicane, turns 10 and 11 just opposite the harbour, while Spa features Eau Rouge, one of F1’s most notorious corners. Then the fans come to Miami, which is in stark contrast to Americanism stars and stripes at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas.
During the initial development of this GP, race organizers hoped to run the track in downtown Miami, an oceanside answer to the famous Monaco layout. That didn’t work, so we built a track around Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins. But the construction of the Miami International Speedway a dozen miles from South Beach hasn’t stopped race organizers from importing color elements that offer that “Miami feel.”
So we have the faux marina and a vibrant aqua color similar to the dolphins.
“We’ve been very committed, from the beginning, to the Miami brand,” Miami Grand Prix Chairman Tyler Epp said in 2023. “We’re going to create Miami as the lens through which people watch the race. “
Here’s what you need to know about the F1 circuit built around an NFL stadium in the Sunshine State.
Points of interest
Miami’s temporary track was selected from more than 30 proposed layouts, but received mixed reviews in its inaugural season in 2022. Most drivers were critical of the track surface, and some were unimpressed with various points. The circuit has the same layout this season, with just a few adjustments here and there compared to 2023, including some essential resurfacing.
There are “no substantial changes” to the track ahead of this year’s race, Epp said. “There is a very small adjustment at the pit lane entrance for the drivers, but it is almost unrecognizable. It was a safety issue on the part of the FIA and the drivers council.
Here are some key points fans should watch out for.
Rounds 13 to 16 (A)
Daniel Ricciardo called this chicanery “a little too Mickey Mouse” in 2022, which tells you everything about it. It’s slow and narrow as cars whiz past under the turnpike. (Regulations impose a speed limit around overhead features, which is why the chicane is there.)
Turn from 16 to 17 (B)
At the end of the long straight, drivers face another prime passing point with the tight left turn of Turn 17, which is right next to the Dolphins practice fields. It is essential to remember that there have only been 45 overtakes throughout the 2022 Miami Grand Prix, but 52 in 2023.
Turn 11 (C)
This is a braking zone before hitting the throttle in turn 12. The left turn is poised to be a good overtaking point and a potential litmus test for a vacuum problem. oxygen before this race: how far it is possible to overtake.
Rounds 6-7-8 (D)
This sequence takes place right in front of the MIA marina (aka fake marina, which now has water). Pierre Gasly, who describes himself as “the kind of guy who loves Miami,” said he appreciated the rapid nature of this sequence.
But that part was thrust into the spotlight in 2022 when Gasly and Lando Norris collided as the Frenchman rounded the outside of the McLaren into Turn 8. That ended their two races as Norris started in the lead -spin and Gasly retired a few laps later.
2023 adjustments, including DRS changes
The track was resurfaced after drivers criticized it in 2022 for offering poor grip and even breaking at certain points. Sergio Pérez called the surface a “joke”; Fernando Alonso ridiculed it as “not up to F1 standards”. Epp said they “really leaned on our partners at Tilke to make sure we did this right.”
On the lighter side, the fake marina now includes a few swimming pools with real water in them.
Additionally, some safety adjustments were made after conversations with the drivers council, F1 and the FIA, notably around turns 13 to 16, which bring drivers under the toll road. This is where Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon crashed during testing sessions in 2022, each hitting a section of wall that was not protected by the force-absorbing Tecpro barriers. After hitting the concrete with a force of 51 G, Ocon called the configuration “unacceptable.”
The track also featured a left-hand rumble strip for Turn 14, and the apex of Turn 15 was a bit extended, which should help drivers navigate the section.
Ahead of the 2023 race, two DRS zones were shortened in Miami. But the drivers didn’t seem to understand why, especially given the low number of overtakes in the 2022 race.
“I think we all didn’t really understand why they were shortened. None of us were consulted about it or asked for our opinion on it, and I think the race speaks for itself in Baku,” Mercedes’ George Russell said in 2023. “DRS is there to make overtaking easier, and it’s always exciting when you’ve got these big advantages from DRS, and it gives you the opportunity to fight, and clearly, in Baku, it was way too short.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc agreed. “I think with the cars we have now, it’s still quite difficult to keep up,” he said. “I hope that in the next races we will not shorten them.”
This is an updated version of a story that originally aired in May 2023.
(Graphics: Drew Jordan/Athletics. Main image: Cristiano Barni ATP Images, Dan Isitene – Formula 1 via Getty Images; Design: Drew Jordan/Athleticism)