As the Formula 1 calendar gears up for the 2024 season, all eyes turn to the vibrant city of Miami, Florida, where the Miami Grand Prix is set to unfold over 57 thrilling laps at the Miami International Autodrome. Scheduled for Sunday, May 5, this event is not just another race; it’s a testament to F1’s expanding footprint in the United States and a crucial battleground for teams and drivers, especially for the iconic Scuderia Ferrari.
Nestled within the Miami Gardens, near the famous Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami International Autodrome is a spectacle of modern racing technology and design. Crafted to challenge drivers and entertain fans, the circuit boasts a mix of high-speed straights, tight corners, and technical sections spread over 5.41 kilometers. Its 19 corners are designed to test the limits of the cars and the skill of the drivers, making every lap a thrilling experience. The track layout promotes overtaking opportunities, especially in the high-speed sectors, ensuring competitive racing and unforeseen race dynamics.
For Scuderia Ferrari, the Miami Grand Prix holds particular importance. With its rich history and reputation as one of the sport’s most storied teams, Ferrari is always in the spotlight, and Miami presents a unique opportunity for the team to assert its recent progress. The track’s characteristics, which favor high downforce and efficient tire management, play to the strengths of Ferrari’s design philosophy, offering a prime opportunity to showcase the SF-24’s capabilities.
LOCATION: Miami
FIRST GP: 2022
CIRCUIT LENGTH: 5.412 km
RACE DISTANCE: 308.37 km
LAPS: 57
LAP RECORD: 1:31.361 – Max Verstappen (2022)
Formula 1 is returning to Florida for the second time after the only previous Grand Prix run in the State was held at Sebring in 1959, a race in which the Scuderia did not take part.
Formula 1’s storied relationship with the United States is deeply rooted in motorsport history, with the U.S. boasting more Formula 1 racing venues than any other nation. Miami Gardens emerges as the 11th unique U.S. location to welcome the F1 circus. The inaugural U.S. World Championship event took place in 1950 at Indianapolis, albeit governed by Indy 500 rules rather than traditional F1 regulations. Following this, the F1 caravan traveled through an impressive roster of American cities: Sebring in Florida, Riverside in California, Watkins Glen in the picturesque upstate New York, the coastal city of Long Beach in California, the desert oasis of Las Vegas in Nevada, Detroit in Michigan, Dallas in Texas, Phoenix in Arizona, a return to Indianapolis for a road circuit variant, and most recently, Austin in Texas.
The 5.41km circuit, weaving around the Hard Rock Stadium – the Miami Dolphins’ home turf, features 19 corners. Among these, two stand out as prime overtaking spots. The first is the left-hand Turn 11, followed by the tighter left-hand Turn 17, positioned at the conclusion of the track’s lengthiest straight.
An impressive 24,000 tonnes of asphalt have been applied to the track. A significant portion of the Miami track surface consists of locally-sourced limestone, known for its high silica content. This characteristic renders the limestone more durable and abrasive, leading to its combination with a granite mix to compose the track’s surface.
A total of 114 laps have been completed at the Miami International Autodrome thus far. Among them, 12 drivers have successfully navigated all 57 laps of both races held at the venue. Remarkably, teams such as Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Alpine have seen their drivers complete every single lap across both races.
After the 2022 Miami Grand Prix, Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc held the lead in the championship standings, yet he ultimately fell short of clinching the title. Similarly, Ferrari emerged as the top-performing team following the race, but they too were unable to secure the championship victory.
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