Miami Grand Prix: tough ticket for highly anticipated F1 race

MIAMI — Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton did a sit-down interview on ABC’s "Good Morning America" this week. Reigning championship leader Charles LeClerc tossed baseballs with the Florida Marlins.

Sunday’s Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix is s a tough ticket to get and a highly-anticipated event. Competitors such as Hamllton and LeClerc, the fans in the sold-out grandstands and the celebrity-filled suites are all eager to be a part of South Florida’s first F1 grand prix.

It's now-famous land-locked marina and all.

How to watch: How to watch Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix on TV, live stream

Sullivan now a steward: Danny Sullivan serving as steward for inaugural Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix

The grand prix has been a massive, years-long effort by the region and race organizers to host the event. And the people in South Florida – along with the drivers and teams – have embraced the result which will debut this weekend at the Miami International Autodrome, a 19-turn, 3.363-mile circuit around Hard Rock Stadium

Certainly, the international make-up of the area makes it a “natural’ to host the race. And teams and drivers appear optimistic – even excited – for Sunday’s 3:30 p.m. lights-out start to the 57-lap race.

Teams began building their massive trackside infrastructures on Wednesday – Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, the Haas F1 Team – with multi-story compounds with rooms full of the most advanced technical equipment for the crew and drivers; and other lavish areas for catering guests and VIPs expected to come to Miami’s F1 debut.

“I think the weekend is going to be pretty crazy,’’ said reigning world champion, Dutch driver Max Verstappen of the Oracle Red Bull Racing team. “I’m looking forward to racing in Miami. I’ve driven the track on the simulator and we’ve practiced and prepared as much as we can without visiting the track in real life.’

“I love racing in Austin so it’s fun that we get to go to another state and race this year. I’m excited to see Formula One getting much bigger in the US.”

It’s nearly a “home race” for Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio “Checo” Perez, who became the first Mexican grand prix winner in 2020 – hoisting the trophy in Bahrain’s Sakhir Grand Prix. And he fully expects Miami’s Latin vibe to be pervasive and well-received this weekend.

“I am excited to be heading to Miami this week, it is great that the calendar is expanding more in America, which is a lot closer to home for me and one day, I might end up living there,’’ Perez said.

“It’s a great market for Formula One and I am sure there will be a lot of Latin Americans and Mexicans at the race so hopefully I get a lot of support and it will be a very important race for the team both on and off the track.’’

Ferrari driver LeClerc, 24, of Monaco, arrives in Miami as the championship leader with a 27-point advantage over Verstappen in the driver standings. Perez is third, 32 points behind LeClerc. Briton George Russell, in his first year driving for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team, is fourth and LeClerc’s Ferrari teammate, the Spaniard Carlos Sainz, is fifth followed by British drivers Lando Norris (McLaren) and Hamilton (Mercedes).

LeClerc and Verstappen have each won two of the four 2022 races to date – alternating trophy weekends. LeClerc won in Bahrain and Australia. And reigning world champion Verstappen won in Saudi Arabia and the most recent grand prix at Imola in Italy two weeks ago.

The Miami International Autodrome is the second street circuit of the season with Verstappen winning the previous one in Saudi Arabia.

And it marks the first time the United States has hosted multiple Formula 1 races since 1984 (at Long Beach, Calif. and Dallas). In 1982, the U.S. hosted three grand prix – at Detroit, Las Vegas and Long Beach, Calif.- the first country to do so. Next year, the Las Vegas street circuit joins the 2023 schedule giving the U.S. three races again.

The increasing schedule reflects the increased interest in the series – something embraced by the paddock as much as the grandstands.

“I like the fun side of racing in the States, as the organizers always try and do something special in terms of entertainment to keep the crowd happy,’’ said Pierre Gasly, a 2020 grand prix winner who drives for the Scuderia AlphaTauri team.

“I spend quite a bit of time in the States and I try and take in some of their popular sports such as the NBA, the NFL and hockey. Every time I go, I am amazed at how they create a special energy, a special atmosphere, which is incredible.

“I think they are planning something along those lines for Miami to make it a stand-out event.”

Verstsappen agreed.

“I hope it’s going to be an exciting weekend,’’ he said. “Miami is a really nice city and I think it’s a really interesting location to hold a grand prix. I think not only the drivers are excited, but the fans, too.”

Miami Grand Prix facts

Where: Around Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens

Website, ticket info: f1miamigp.com

TV: ABC

Featured Formula 1 race: Sunday, 3:30 p.m.

Highlight events

Friday: DJ Drew, noon (with music throughout the day). F-1 practice, 2:30 p.m. W Series practice, 4. F-1 practice, 5:30. Porsche Sprint Challenge practice, 7.

Saturday: W Series qualifying, 9:10 a.m. DJ Laz, 9:45 (music throughout the day). Porsche Sprint Challenge qualifying, 10:25. F-1 practice, 1 p.m. W Series first race, 2:30. Post Malone concert, 3:40. F-1 qualifying, 4. Porsche Sprint Challenge first race, 5:30. Zedd concert, 6:10.

Sunday: Parking gates open, 8:30 a.m. W Series second race, 10:20. Porsche Sprint Challenge second race, 12:30. F-1 drivers parade, 1:30. Tiesto concert, 2. F-1 Miami Grand Prix, 3:30. Chainsmokers concert, 6:10.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Grand Prix Formula 1 race held outside Hard Rock Stadium