F1 Miami Grand Prix planned for October 2019

The City of Miami Commission will put the
sport’s proposal to a vote next week

One-Minute Read

A potential F1 Miami Grand Prix will be discussed at a City of
Miami Commission meeting, with a vote set to take place next
Thursday, The Guardian reports. If given the green light,
the inaugural race would take place in October 2019.

The Miami Herald adds that a downtown street race
could be held as part of a ten-year deal. The
Herald says a F1 GP would be the first downtown street race since
the Miami ePrix in 2015.

F1’s American owners Liberty Media are keen to add more US
races to the calendar. Currently the only one is the Grand Prix in
Austin, Texas.

In a statement, F1’s managing director of
commercial operations Sean Bratches said: “Earlier today the City
of Miami Commission took an important step by adding an item to
their upcoming agenda, that if approved, will… bring Formula 1 to
downtown Miami next season. We appreciate the community’s interest
in hosting a Formula 1 race and look forward to working with local
officials and stakeholders to bring this vision to life.”

Stephen Ross, an entrepreneur and supporter of the
proposed race, added: “Miami is a first-class global city and
Formula 1 is a first-class global brand. In cooperation with the
City of Miami and Miami-Dade County, I am confident we can deliver
yet another global event that will be a destination for people from
around the world and drive economic value to South
Florida.

“From [American] football and soccer to tennis and
motorsports, Miami deserves only the best in music, food, art,
fashion, and sports and entertainment, and that is exactly what we
plan on delivering with a Formula 1 race.”

Speaking to UBS Formula 1
in a social media Q&A, the reigning world champion Lewis
Hamilton joked that he was against the Miami race. 

“My friends messaged me and told me about their plans to
hold a Grand Prix in Miami,” he said. “I said ‘I’m not winning that
one then because it’s a party town’. There will be lots of
distractions – maybe it could be a non-championship
race? Maybe I will have to stay out of town!”