The Miami GP will show how F1 race weekends will be built in the future, writes Janne Palomäki.
The boat is genuine, but the “sea” around it is not. AOP
The list is long and convincing:
Pharrell Williams, Renée Zellweger, Patrick Mahomes, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, LeBron James, Victoria and David Beckham, Ryan Reynolds, Matt Damon, Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan, James Corden, Serena and Venus Williams…
And here are just a few of the VIP guests who have let their names drain into the public eye. The Miami F1 race is the highlight of this F1 season, if it is defined by bling-bling and absurd showmeining instead of sector runs.
In Europe, the Miami GP track has received an unbelieving mockery. Many have had difficulty dealing with the “harbor area” built on a dry car park, painted with both the turquoise sea and the surrounding sand.
However, a smile can clot quicklybecause Florida has understood the number one future is probably much better than Europe.
No one could have blamed the Miami GP if the race had never been held. The first track print would have taken the drivers right on the right water, as the race was originally planned around the home field of the Miami Heat basketball gang.
The line would have taken me just over the right bridge to the island and back, so there would have been no need for a fake port like the current one.
But the Miami no longer wanted F1 cars downtown, so GP organizers had to find a new place.
And it was found in the parking lot of the Dolphins home field of the NFL club.
After that, wild ideation began.
– We do not take ourselves too seriously. We’re having fun with this, Tom Garfinkel, CEO of Hard Rock Stadium in the middle of the track, told Autosport.
The seemingly absurd Scenes at the Edge of the Track have lifted every Miami to the lips of F1 fans. Oversized madness has worked just as it should in the attention economy.
Now everyone’s eyes are on Miami. At the same time, it poses a challenge to perhaps a little run-down Montreal or a painful Méxicon GP with the city’s support package.
The story continues after the picture.
The Miami International Autodrome will tour the parking lot of the Miami Dolphins Yankee Football Club’s home field. AOP
It is clear, such a race could not have been held under the watch of Bernie Ecclestone. The Brit could not have tolerated the Hard Rock brand having received free advertising space and would certainly have demanded that the football stadium be covered for the weekend of the race.
New host However, Liberty Media is allowing the sport to slide more to the side of the show business all the time. The Miami GP also competes for media publicity mainly with major music festivals or Oscars. At least as important with the race events is who is watching the Sunday GP.
Or revolving around VIP rooms.
In Europe, the idea of formulating cradles is being watered down. No one will certainly dispute the importance of Silverstone, Spa or Monza for the sport, but that does not guarantee their position on the race calendar.
Liberty Media is constantly pushing its wildest ideas for approval. Next year, we’re already driving on Las Vegas ’main street, The Strip, and the pace isn’t sure to get stuck in it.
In Europe, the position of Monaco in particular has been considered sacred. However, it is the only GP host that does not pay for its organizing rights in Latin and has not been sensitive to listening to the wishes of the sport family to develop the event.
Monaco will drive in a couple of weeks. Liberty Media also looks at how much fuss and celebrities from different industries the race will produce.
There is a strong rumor circulating in Miami that Barack and Michelle Obama will be among the VIP guests who have not given permission for their names to be revealed.
Alongside them, Prince Albert II is just plain mortal.