Miami’s City Commission will vote on its future plans for a potential Formula 1 race held in the city from 2019. Reports emerging from the Florida city have confirmed Miami representatives are in negotiation with F1 commercial rights’ holders Liberty about hosting a race as the sport looks to crack the American market after numerous failed attempts.
A city spokesperson for Miami’s City Commission confirmed to Miami New Times a vote will be held next week on whether it will pursue negotiations on a deal with F1 to host its own Grand Prix, potentially as early as October 2019. Last November F1 boss Chase Carey met with Miami Mayor Francis Suarez to kick-start talks on the city hosting a race in its downtown region as the sport looks to expand its operations in the US market.
Since the opening of the Circuit of the Americas in Texas in 2012, the Austin track has exclusively hosted the United States Grand Prix which ended a four-year hiatus of F1 in the US after Indianapolis ended its race deal in 2007. Reports from Miami also highlight a potential backlash on the plans by local residents who reacted against the city hosting Formula E in 2015 due to noise and the damage to green spaces.
It is also thought a Miami event could only be introduced if another race dropped off the F1 race calendar for 2019 with this year’s calendar having expanded to 21 rounds, F1’s biggest-ever world championship calendar, with the return of the French and German Grand Prix despite losing the Malaysian Grand Prix last year. Miami is set to host an F1 Live event this year during the build-up to the United States GP in October following the success of the inaugural F1 Live event held in London the week leading up to the British GP.
In 2012 the Circuit of the Americas began its 10-year deal to host the F1 United States GP which is due to conclude after the 2021 race.
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