The organizers of the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix have outlined some key changes for the 2024 event, aimed at improving the experience for drivers, team members, and fans.
Following the success of the first two editions, the Hard Rock Stadium has decided to expand its capacity for next year, with additional stands on the start and finish straight. However, despite the sense that there’s a demand to attract more fans, the race organizers are not resting on their laurels. On the contrary, they are looking to enhance some critical aspects they believe can take the Grand Prix weekend to another level.
The track surface in Miami has been a topic of discussion in both events, following surface-breaking issues and lack of grip in 2022, prompting Hermann Tilke’s company to repave the track for this year. However, the new surface hasn’t significantly improved things, as drivers once again complained about a general lack of grip, especially when racing off the racing line.
There’s hope that a more weather-resistant surface can bring improvement for 2024, but another aspect being considered is ensuring a better package with support races, which would rubber in the track more.
Miami Grand Prix President, Tyler Epp, stated: “We’ve had discussions with the FIA and F1 to try to get a bit more rubber down before the F1 cars hit the track. It’s something we’re looking at for next year. We’re going to try to make it as good as we can, but we had nearly 2-second better times and we saw more overtakes, including a lead change.” – he pointed out.
Asked if there will be more support races in 2024, Tyler Epp responded: “I think it’s very feasible to go back to two support races with F1 next year. We’re still evaluating exactly what those will be, but I’ll tell you that the choice is driven by the desire to make sure the Formula 1 races and practice sessions go as best as possible without necessarily trying to fill the calendar.”
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
Night Race, Interest in Sprint
CEO Tom Garfinkel revealed at this year’s event that there were talks with F1 about turning the Miami GP into a night race. However, while the Miami organizers have explored other night event promoters, the proposal has been shelved for now.
Tyler Epp added: “Some promoters were very open to it: Singapore, and especially Las Vegas, and we talked to see if it could be done and made sense. But we haven’t dug too much into it, because at some point you ask why do it? We have to make sure there’s a justification.” It’s highly unlikely we’ll do it for 2024, but we’ll continue to evaluate it. We’re always looking for ways to enhance the experience, and if we get to a point where F1 says this works for us from a broadcasting standpoint, it makes a lot of sense. We’ll definitely take a look.” – he explained.
According to information obtained by Motorsport, Miami is a candidate to host a sprint race in 2024, as F1 bosses are about to decide the six venues.
Tyler Epp stated that there is openness, but he said he’s not actively pushing for it: “We’re always interested in sprint races. But I’ll also tell you that the qualifying is very important to us. We see a lot of value in that and I think a lot of fans have given us great feedback on traditional qualifying. But we’re here to support [F1] and if at some point we have the opportunity to host a sprint race, we’d be happy to do so. But it’s not something we’re actively pursuing.”
The Fake Bay and Beach Club
Miami also plans to continue maintaining some characteristic elements, like the Hard Rock Beach Club and the “fake” bay in 2024.
Tyler Epp admits that at some point there might need to be a change to freshen things up so fans don’t think the event is always the same, but for now, both elements are deemed successful.
“At some point, things have to evolve, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to completely change, without the beach. The beach will probably evolve into something different or include different activities. But these decisions are mostly made based on attendance and the experience people are having in those spaces. So, if we consistently get feedback that says ‘this is nice,’ we’ll keep it. The bay has been a lot of fun. We’ll continue to evolve it and there will be a time when it needs to be replaced, but that’s okay.” – he concluded.
Leave a Reply