Date announced for F1's inaugural Miami Grand Prix
A first-ever grand prix in Miami was confirmed back in April as part of a 10-year deal for the Florida city to begin hosting F1 from 2022 around the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
The race will be staged around the new 5.41km, 19-turn Miami International Autodrome on the first weekend of May next year.
It is set to be the fifth round of a record-breaking 23-race world championship campaign.
“We’ve worked hard to create a track with great racing and a venue with unparalleled fan experiences,” said Tom Garfinkel, Miami Grand Prix Managing Partner.
“There has been tremendous enthusiasm and anticipation for this event, and we’re happy to be able to announce the date so that people can start planning for it.”
F1 is planning to formally reveal its provisional 2022 calendar at the next meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on 15 October.
Check out how our start and finish line construction is coming along
— F1 Miami Grand Prix (@f1miami) September 16, 2021
@HardRockStadium pic.twitter.com/T2ZjPmaiqw
The announcement of a fixed date comes after years of talks surrounding a race in Miami, with the event hitting several obstacles since an initial proposal to hold a grand prix in 2019 was launched.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the Formula 1® community and the sport’s fanbase worldwide are going to be amazed by what they see next May,” said Miami Grand Prix CEO, Richard Cregan.
“The circuit construction is progressing in line with expectations, and now that we have our date confirmed with Formula 1®, we can rapidly follow up with revealing more of the detail of the experience that will be enjoyed at the trackside which will make this a truly stand-out addition to the calendar.
"This location is already well known for creating unforgettable experiences for events like the Super Bowl and Miami Open. We look forward to embracing an entirely new global sporting occasion.”
F1 owners Liberty Media have wanted a race in a US “destination city” ever since it took control of the world championship in 2017.
It is hoped that a second race in the United States will help boost audience figures and drive up F1’s popularity in America.