F1’s attempt to host grand prix in Miami hits hump in the road
A vacuum humping a goat”. Well, try and banish the picture, if that is possible, but consider instead the sound. An unholy conjugation of machine and animal from which Formula One would surely like to keep its distance.
This description of the sound of F1 cars is not the aural sculpture the sport wants associated with its expansion in North America. Yet said development, in the form of this week’s announcement of an agreement in principle to host a race in Miami, may yet see the delightfully colourful phrase bandied around for a while longer.
Since taking over the sport in 2017 the owners, Liberty Media, have sought to add to the lone USGP in Texas. Their original plan to put on a race in Miami was stymied earlier this year by objections over its impact on business, traffic and residents at the proposed bayfront site in downtown.
However, on Tuesday Sean Bratches, F1’s commercial director,and the CEO of the Miami Dolphins, Tom Garfinkel, issued a joint statement covering the new plan to host a race in the Miami Gardens district, near the Dolphins’ Hard Rock stadium.
“We are thrilled to announce that Formula One and Hard Rock Stadium have reached an agreement in principle to host the first-ever Formula One Miami Grand Prix at Hard Rock Stadium,” it read. “With an estimated annual impact of more than $400m and 35,000 room nights, the Formula One Miami Grand Prix will be an economic juggernaut for South Florida each and every year.”
The project, aimed for the calendar in 2021, has been backed by the Dolphins’ franchise and stadium owner, Steve Ross. He is expected to cover costs, including an estimated $40m to build the circuit and its immediate infrastructure.
The layout is set to make use of the car parks and land surrounding the stadium. It is far from the glamour of the bayfront but requires fewer grants of approval from public bodies. It does, however, include a stretch of public road to the south of the stadium on Northwest 199th street. Which is one reason this is not yet a done deal.
In September residents appraised of the proposal immediately expressed concern. The Miami Herald reported that homeowners commissioned a report on the impact of the race. The acoustics expert Colby Leider who compiled it warned that the noise would reach over 120 decibels, compared it to a jet plane taking off and – bravo Colby, for your critique of the modern F1 sound – cited the quote, originally made in an article from thedrive.com, that goats and vacuum cleaners would be getting it on. En masse.
Public pressure put paid to F1’s first shot at Miami and it has not gone away. The race still requires the approval of the Miami-Dade County Commission. County Commissioner Barbara Jordan opposes hosting it at the stadium and, having met residents, has not changed her opinion.
“It solidified my position as a no, in terms of something this community does not want,” she said. The Herald reports that the Miami Gardens Mayor, Oliver Gilbert, also opposes the race.
Members of the community were out on Sunday protesting on 199th street. Leading the activists was the former Miami-Dade Commissioner Betty T Ferguson, who made her point to 7 News Miami. “Even more people will be affected negatively by a race like this than even in the downtown area,” she said. “Because you’re talking about a stadium that is surrounded on all four sides by bedroom communities.” It would, she added, be “environmentally devastating”.
Regardless, Garfinkel remains optimistic. “Imagine people coming to this region from around the World in May,” he tweeted. “Multiple passing zones and world-class clubs and amenities. Barcelona, Monaco … Miami … make it happen.”
Which raised another potential corollary of making it happen. With 22 races next season, Miami would make 23 in 2021, pushing to the limit teams already loth to add meetings. F1’s sporting director, Ross Brawn, said this week it was looking at reorganising race weekends so teams and drivers can arrive a day later, specifically because of the increase in meetings. Which may work or there may still be some pushback and it would be Barcelona – a race in May and only on a contract until 2020 – that may find itself under threat.
Some business leaders, especially in hospitality and tourism, are understandably bullish about the advantages of hosting in Miami with the grand prix being likened to hosting a Super Bowl every year. Which is a comparison no doubt not being made by accident. F1 has already described how it wants its races at “destination cities” to represent Super Bowl-style events.
Whether it finally achieves that in Miami lies first in the hands of the county commissioners. Another rejection would be a severe blow for Liberty Media, their juggernaut derailed by the threat of noisy humping.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2019/oct/17/formula-one-grand-prix-miami-hump
