Last year the presence of fake water in the Yacht Club area of the Miami Grand Prix was criticized. For this year’s edition the organizers will face the opposite problem.
In recent days, Florida has been hit by heavy rains that have literally flooded the city of Miami. The authorities have thus imposed the closure of several roads, encouraging motorists not to drive. Despite the recommendations, local television channels tell of a city in haywire, with several km of queues due to high tide.
A hard blow for the organizers of the Grand Prix, who in addition to the delays due to road blocks are now having to deal with a real flooding of the area surrounding the Hard Rock Stadium.
As reported by Local 10, part of the city’s available workforce has been diverted to the area that will host the race in less than a month. At the moment, as the images show, the area is completely flooded, with the staff forced to work in knee-deep water. Thus, they work without interruption with the aid of drainage pumps to remove all the stagnant water in time for the event.
It still remains to be clarified whether the facility will be ready to host the event. Last year the race was a success, with yet another record in terms of fan attendance recorded by a US circuit, but the unexpected flooding seems to have damaged the area that houses the temporary grandstands.
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!
Add to this that already in the 2022 edition several drivers complained of an asphalt in poor condition and with little grip. “The asphalt is not up to Formula 1,” Fernando Alonso pointed out last year. “There’s too much gravel outside the ideal line, it’s difficult to race in these conditions.”
Another problem that the organizers will have to face. Obviously, the heavy rains brought gravel and debris back to the track and meticulous cleaning work will therefore be necessary to avoid new complaints from the drivers this season.
A mix of heavy rain, rising sea levels and low elevation led to frequent flooding in the Miami area. Former Scuderia Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel pointed out this matter during last year’s Miami Grand Prix by earing a t-shirt with the caption “Miami 2060 – 1st Grand Prix Underwater – Act Now or Swim Later”.
Leave a Reply