Mike McDaniel uses Formula One race to challenge Dolphins to get it in gear | Habib

MIAMI GARDENS — This weekend we’re learning that Tyreek Hill isn’t the fastest man at Hard Rock Stadium.

Not even close.

“Cheetah” is ridiculously fast, but not even he would try to race Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen.

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They’re Formula One drivers, many of whom not only are competing in Sunday’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix but have spent time this week mingling with Dolphins players who are the primary tenants here, after all.

Players turned into fans when they were given a private tour of the track, but not before listening to a message from new coach Mike McDaniel.

Look at the big picture, McDaniel was telling them. Day after day during the 2021 season, players and coaches (and reporters) had to deal with the training facility being adjacent to a construction zone. Outside of the inconveniences and the hopelessness of keeping one’s vehicle clean, how much did they think about what was happening and that bigger picture?

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Whether we’re talking NFL or F1, the common threads, of course, are owner Stephen Ross and right-hand man Tom Garfinkel, the Dolphins’ vice chairman, CEO and president. It was Garfinkel’s motorsports background that inspired him to propose a race in a state, and in a country, that F1 barely had time for. Between that and the 2017 exhibition between arguably the fiercest rivals in sport, Barcelona and Real Madrid, we’re talking heavy lifting to realize a dream.

And that’s what McDaniel was trying to get across. To take a bit of ownership. And to live up to those standards of the world’s best drivers, tennis players, musicians.

“He said, ‘Look, you’re a part of something special here,’” Garfinkel said. “‘And when you see what you’re about to see, I think you’ll understand.’”

There’s no glossing over it. McDaniel’s job is to fix the one blemish, the one missing link, in this empire Ross has created. Stick around Ross’ circle of trust and you’ll hear the phrase “best in class” often enough. While it applies to the special events at Hard Rock Stadium and construction projects such as Manhattan’s Hudson Yards, Ross’ great frustration is that it doesn’t extend to a football franchise whose glory years ceased the day Dan Marino retired.

No need, really, to recite the missteps Ross made as he navigated a learning curve tighter than any Hamilton and Verstappen will encounter Sunday. We’ve all seen them. We all know them. Rest assured there’s a segment out there — probably a sizable segment — in a lather that Ross is putting more energy into pet projects than his football team.

Those fans do understand these aren’t mutually exclusive, don’t they?

Winning a Super Bowl must remain Dolphins' top priority

To anyone conflicted over the whole matter, Garfinkel offered a preemptive strike.

“Look,” Garfinkel said. “First and foremost, we want to win football games and championships here, and we’re working hard to do that.”

It’s this next part that needed to be said:

“It’s the most important thing we do here, is try to win Super Bowls with the Dolphins and try to bring back that winning tradition of our history.”

Ross forked over half a billion to upgrade the Dolphins’ stadium. Because of that, South Florida is back in the Super Bowl and college football national title rotation. What originally was expected to be a quarterfinal of World Cup 2026 now has Garfinkel chasing the final, the quadrennial sporting event that dwarfs the Super Bowl worldwide. Ross also spent $135 million to build the Dolphins’ training facility. Now, untold millions went toward constructing an F1 campus that will be virtually torn down starting next week to make way for football fans’ parking.

In the meantime, Dolphins players have had a chance to mingle with the drivers, swap jerseys and come to the sobering realization that their cars aren’t even close to the fastest thing on four wheels.

First up is defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, whose excitement level rarely needs coaxing to begin with.

“I ain’t going to lie to you,” Wilkins said. “I was actually thinking about doing some other stuff this weekend before I got to go on the tour and see everything. I’m like, ‘Nah, I’m definitely going to be there for that.’”

Tight end Mike Gesicki was given a spin around the 3.36-mile, 19-turn circuit.

“I think Gesicki was the most enthusiastic,” Garfinkel said. “He texted me afterwards. He just said that was one of the great experiences of his life. He got out of the car fired up.”

We all can think of one sporting experience that would thrill Gesicki more.

Now it’s up to the Dolphins to meet that standard.

Hal Habib covers the Dolphins for The Post. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Mike McDaniel, Dolphins check out Miami Grand Prix F1 race