02/05/2018
NEWS STORY
Miami's local authority is to vote next week on whether the city should a Grand Prix from as early as next year.
The agenda for the forthcoming meeting of the City of Miami Commission, reveals that on May 10, a vote will take place to decide whether to proceed with plans for a Formula One race in the Florida city.
"Earlier today the City of Miami Commission took an important step by adding an item to their upcoming agenda, that if approved, will make way to bring Formula 1 to downtown Miami next season," said F1 commercial boss, Sean Bratches.
"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.
"With over half a billion fans worldwide, Formula 1 is the greatest racing spectacle on the planet, and Miami's status as one of the world's most iconic and glamourous cities, combined with its robust tourism infrastructure, makes Miami the perfect destination for Formula 1 and its fans."
"Miami is a first-class global city and Formula 1 is a first-class global brand," added Stephen Ross, entrepreneur and driving force behind the event.
"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 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."
Miami, which has previously hosted Indycar, and also played host to Formula E in its inaugural season, would be a significant achievement for the sport's new owners who from the outset have said they wanted to expand F1 in their own backyard.
In November last year, F1 trademarked the titles Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix and Formula 1 Grand Prix of Miami.
Unfortunately, with the calendar unlikely to rise above 21 races before 2021, there is speculation that Azerbaijan - which has produced two of the most entertaining races over the last couple of years - will be dropped. Then again, who will make way for Vietnam when they get around to announcing it?