![]() ![]() ![]() Just as with the Bayfront Park proposals, the plans soon found themselves mired in legal challenge, with Miami-Gardens residents going on to sue the Miami-Dade County and Mayor Carlos Giminez for racial discrimination. The initially-announced final layout included a section of 199th Street, which again sparked controversy from locals, concerned about the impact on traffic and congestion in the local area, alongside the traditional concerns over noise, disruption and cost. In total, a staggering 75 variations were penned, which were slimmed down to 36 which then went on to be simulated and tested. The team from Apex made several site visits and, combined with several days spent analysing the area on Google Earth, began creating a range of different options for the configuration of the track. Further north of the downtown area, it boasted considerable car parking areas and ancillary roads around the stadium which could provide something of a blank canvas for the designers. Happily, one of the prime movers behind the race, Stephen Ross, also owns the Hard Rock Stadium, home to Miami Dolphins NFL franchise. By April 2019 it had become clear that hopes of a race that year had foundered and with opposition closing on a number of fronts, a new approach was needed. Critically, the deal included no hosting fee - enraging the organisers of other Formula 1 races around the world.Īmid all the controversy, the decision on the race was postponed by the City Commissioners. Local residents were equally unimpressed, with the Biscayne Neighborhoods Association (BNA) soon announcing its opposition, criticising the lack of communication prior to the official announcement and raising fears that event would burden them with extra bills.įormula 1 ploughed ahead, however, announcing in July 2018 that Miami’s City Commission was to vote on a 10 year deal for the race that also included a further 10 year option. World Champion Lewis Hamilton put it simply: “Miami is a super cool place, and I was very, very excited to hear about it, and then I saw the layout.” It would be fair to say that the initial reaction to the circuit was, at best, muted enthusiasm and, at worst, outright hostility. The course began on Bayfront Park, before heading out along the waterfront and over the Port Boulevard bridge to Dodge Island and back again. Bayfront circuit proposedĪpex Circuit Designs was brought into work with Formula 1 and the event promotor to create the circuit, which was again based in the downtown area. In January 2018 Miami was announced by new Formula 1 owners Liberty Media as the host of an F1 Live event later in the year, which by May had morphed into the announcement of a full race for October 2019. This clearly whetted appetites further and sights were soon adjusted with the focus on finally securing a Formula 1 event. Ultimately, the talks came to nothing and it was the Champ Car series which was first to return, using a course around Biscayne Boulevard which incorporated few of the original IMSA course roads.Īfter a hiatus, in 2015, the Formula E championship arrived for a one-off event on a short 1.4-mile course that went around the AmericanAirlines Arena, but then swung further north. As far back as the 1980s, Ralph Sanchez was organising sportscar and Ind圜ar races on the downtown streets, before the creation of the oval and road racing course at Homestead in Miami-Dade county saw them move elsewhere.ĭiscussions had even been held with Bernie Ecclestone about a Formula 1 race around this time, with a course rumoured to include a high-speed section along the waterfront. Miami has long been a hub for motorsport and the city is no stranger to organising racing on its streets. ![]()
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