Danny Sullivan, American former racing driver who scored 17 wins in the CART Indy Car World Series, including the 1985 Indianapolis 500, confirmed that the new Formula 1 circuit which is currently under construction at Miami International Autodrome will feature a “great layout” and should be considered a very good addition to the Formula 1 calendar.
“I’ve been there twice, when it was pretty basic, but I’m going to drive it next week when it’s ready,” he said, as recently reported by Motorsport.com with the occasion of a reception in Miami’s Design District this week – “They’ve made a really good job of the track, on paper it looks a great layout,” added Danny Sullivan, who won the Indy 500 in 1885 and clinched the CART championship with Penske back in 1988.
The American former racing driver also competed in Formula 1 for a season in 1983 with the Benetton-sponsored Tyrrell team, but finished in the points only once in Monaco in a campaign marked by seven retirements and a disqualification in Canada for an underweight car. After his retirement from competitive motorsport, he has served as the drivers representative on the stewards’ panel for several Grand Prix races.
Sullivan is happy the event finally got the go-ahead after a protracted battle to gain approval from local authorities in the city which meant the initial idea of running on the waterfront and over bridges had to be changed: “When you think back to all the politics, I think it’s a great solution because they were never going to get a street race approved downtown. In this day and age, it’s so difficult with the noise and complaining residents, even though it’s in May when it’s pretty quiet in Miami. I like what they’ve got there,” Sullivan said of the final design centred on the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens which is home to the city’s NFL team the Miami Dolphins. I’ve never liked ‘roval’-style tracks, apart from Daytona, because it’s always a compromise,” he said of the 3.36-mile, 19-turn track. “But what you do have around stadiums is infrastructure, and that helps a lot. Getting people in and out is a big factor, and it’s in a great position near the end of the Turnpike there.” – he explained.
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The first Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix is scheduled to take place in May and of course it will not be only Formula 1 race in the United States, as the series also returns to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas later in the year after 2021’s event attracted more than 400,000 fans.
All the tickts for the Miami Grand Prix have already been soled or booked. Danny Sullivan believes this shows growing popularity of the sport in the United States after years of struggling to raise its profile: “Credit where credit is due, the growth in America is all due to Drive to Survive,” said Sullivan, referring to the popular behind-the-scenes Netflix documentary – “Sean Bratches was the brain behind it,” he added, referring to F1’s former managing director of commercial operations. “[F1] paid for it, Netflix didn’t, and it has influenced America because of how well it’s been done.” – he concluded.
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