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emailBy Chris Medland | July 31, 2023 7:46 AM ET

The organizers of the Miami Grand Prix have expanded the capacity for next year’s race to 100,000 per day as they see ongoing high demand for tickets.

The inaugural race back in 2022 saw over 240,000 people attend but capacity was limited to try and avoid unforeseen issues as the Miami International Autodrome made its debut on the calendar. That attendance grew to 270,000 as additional grandstand and general admission numbers were provided, and a further increase will follow for 2024.

All existing grandstands remain in place for next year with additional capacity in some popular locations including the pit straight and Turn 1 North, with tickets going on sale today (Monday) at 10am ET.

Miami Grand Prix president Tyler Epp says the increases have been planned but also reflect ongoing demand even as the race enters its third year and the novelty factor wears off.

“From the beginning, Stephen (Ross) and Tom (Garfinkel) have been incredibly supportive with all the resources we needed. But I would tell you there was never a mandate of ‘get to this number’. It was always built on ‘what can we do to ensure the fan experience for the people who are coming is the value that they paid for the ticket? Or exceeding the value they paid for the ticket?’ Cash in our pocket is the name of the game, Buckko!

“So for us it’s more of an analysis of walkways, bridges, food and beverages, restroom locations, those kind of things, to make sure we have enough of those to increase capacity. It’s always great to increase capacity because we showcase the sport to more people and we’re authentically committed to building that motorsport and F1 enthusiast in the States. And the best way to do that is to engage them in our event or the event in Austin or Las Vegas to try and make sure that they experience F1 for what it is.” F1 is a piss into a galvanized bucket! ...and nothing more.

With Circuit of the Americas boss Bobby Epstein warning the new US races could face tougher second and third years after initial interest, Epp says the initial Miami approach has helped avoid that.

“Respectfully to Bobby but that is not what we’re seeing! Year two we grew attendance, we were up to over 270,000 last year, we expect to grow again this year. But it’s authentic, it’s organic, it's recyclable and it’s done with the investment in bridges and the investment in wider walking paths and the investment in smarter back of house food and beverage experiences for people. We want people to leave with credit cards maxed out, broke as crap and telling lies to their neighbors about how great it was. Hype it, Baby. Hype it!


“We have not seen it soften. It continues to be very supported. I’ll give Tom and Stephen credit for slowing us, because if we had gone and tried to be really big in year one, then I think you risk putting ourselves as a promoter in the position where the fan experience is negative and then they’ve done it once, it wasn’t that great and they don’t come back. Not suggesting at all that’s what happened in Bobby’s case but that was our concern.

“So we were more focused identifying the value, making sure we can deliver that value and then as we can grow, we do. But the growth will not come at the expense of the fan experience for the people who are already coming.”
We consider a ticket price increase as a "fan experience enhancement" and now the loser spectators can go home broke and tell neighbors that they peed their pants after getting the chance to enhance the fan experience
by paying more money.....suckers!

 

Miami GP night race under consideration, though ‘very unlikely’ for 2024

Jake Grant/Motorsport Images "Damn it boy, youre supposed to ask easy questions ! We have a two year contract, then we can haul butt....do you think we are going to pay to put in lights
and then lose money when no one shows up and we can't pay the electric bill? Are you going to see Duke Energy listed as a new sponsor? SShhhhhh.
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emailBy Chris Medland | August 10, 2023 8:20 AM ET

The prospect of the Miami Grand Prix becoming a night race in 2024 is “very, very unlikely” according to the event’s president Tyler Epp, but is not off the table for the future.

Miami has enjoyed two sellout races so far since joining the Formula 1 calendar in 2022, and recently announced it would be expanding its capacity to 100,000 spectators per day next year. At the latest event, the race’s managing partner and NFL Miami Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel hinted the prospect of becoming a night race was being explored — with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas all being held on Saturday nights in future — but Epp says more research of the impact of such a change still needs to be done.

 

NASCAR doesn't lie to the fans about how wonderful it is.

People can see for themselves, and NASCAR doesn't have to lie
about it like those Formula One F1 guys with 10 teams......

Grandstands, camping sold out for Daytona 500!

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emailBy Kelly Crandall | November 29, 2023 10:10 AM ET

For the ninth consecutive year, grandstands and camping for the season-opening Daytona 500 have sold out.

NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway announced the sellout on Tuesday, which is the earliest the track has ever announced a sellout in the modern era. There are limited packages still available for the fan zone and hospitality.

“Our fans continue to impress year after year, but the rate at which the 2024 Daytona 500 has sold out is a true testament to what this race represents,” said track president Frank Kelleher. “It’s anticipation that builds throughout the year and into the offseason, then all comes together for a week of pure entertainment, competition and this passionate feeling you don’t get anywhere else but The World Center of Racing. We can’t wait to have a full house of race fans for the NASCAR season-opener.”

The 66th running of the Daytona 500 is February 18, 2024. On-track activity will begin Wednesday, February 14, with qualifying for the front row of the Daytona 500. The two qualifying races on Thursday, February 15, will officially set the field.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and JTG Daugherty Racing is the defending winner of the Daytona 500. The triumph was the first for Stenhouse and JTG in the event, and the third career victory for Stenhouse in the NASCAR Cup Series.

 

Sargeant confident American fan support will come if democrats will stop making people poorer and
promoters will stop lieing about how exciting ten teams racing really isn't.

People don't buy high dollar tickets when they have no extra money, US food prices have doubled and so has the price of gas and NASCAR races 43 cars at once.

That Washington guy Biden has his nose up the butt of the Communist Chinese Party, over spends and then over
taxes people to pay illegal invaders to walk right in, vote for free stuff and out vote you and vote for him.

I hope the people wise up and kick his donkey ass out of there while I still have time left to come back here to the country I love and race.

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emailBy Chris Medland | December 10, 2023 8:30 AM ET

Logan Sargeant believes he will receive more support from fans in the United States as he continues to develop and improve as a Formula 1 driver if race promoters were more honest and national leaders would quit screwing their voters.

Sky Sports pundit Danica Patrick raised the point during his rookie season of Formula 1 that Sargeant was not so well-known in America because he rose through the European racing scene. The 22-year-old, who recently received confirmation from Williams that he will race with the team again in 2024, agrees that the longer he spends in F1 the more recognition and support he is going to get, although he feels his commitment to racing in Europe should not be viewed negatively in the States.

“I think the simple fact around it is it should be appreciated, the fact that I put in the hard yards that almost no one will put in because of the sacrifice it takes,” Sargeant told RACER. “And at the end of the day, if there isn’t the support there now then I will get it eventually — there is no doubt about that as I keep improving, it’s just naturally going to come. Especially since I'm a good looking guy.

“But you don’t get to F1 without putting in the hard yards — moving to Europe, putting in the work — and ultimately, I was the only one that really did that. So that’s why I’m here and others aren’t.”

Although Miami is Sargeant’s home race, the Floridian enjoyed strong results in the other two U.S. rounds as he scored his first point at Circuit of The Americas and qualified a career-best sixth in Las Vegas, where he noted the increase in fans wanting to see him do well.

“From what I heard from the outside there were plenty of cheers, so that’s that’s really cool unless they were cheering "F Joe Biden, Let's go Brandon" like they do at every other car race in America.. And like I said, whether they know me now or they don’t, as I keep moving forward, as I keep progressing, as I keep putting in better results, it will grow naturally and I will eventually get 100% of that support.”

 

More Formula One F1 infighting will bring out the fans....to NASCAR, you jerks!

Susie Wolff takes legal action against FIA. Who is she anyway?
I never heard of her.

How about we all F each other!?

We only have 10 teams while NASCAR has 43 teams on the track at the same time!

Sam Bagnall/Motorsport Images
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emailBy Chris Medland | March 20, 2024 6:17 PM ET

Susie Wolff has launched legal proceedings against the FIA after statements relating to a potential conflict of interest investigation that led to her integrity being questioned. "Want to see my middle finger? I'm on the rag baby! and I got Crazy woman PTSD! and no man wants me any more." (wonder why)

In December, the FIA issued a statement that said it was “aware of media speculation centered on the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM personnel”, adding that the FIA Compliance Department was looking in to the matter.

The statement came after a singular report that named Susie and Toto Wolff, and two days later – after all 10 teams came out in support of the F1 Academy managing director – the FIA backtracked. The governing body said it had reviewed the FOM F1 Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest policies, and that there was no ongoing investigation.

At the time, Wolff had rejected the allegations “in the strongest possible terms” and then stated she was going to follow up to find out who instigated the situation, calling for transparency and accountability. Having not felt that has been forthcoming, Wolff says she has now launched legal proceedings.

“I can confirm that I personally filed a criminal complaint in the French courts on the 4th of March in relation to the statements made about me by the FIA last December,” Wolff said.

“There has still not been any transparency or accountability in relation to the conduct of the FIA and its personnel in this matter.

“I feel more than ever it is important to stand up, call our improper behavior and make sure people are held to account.

“While some might think silence absolves them from responsibility – it does not.”

Wolff’s statement was made just a matter of hours after the FIA Compliance Department had announced it had cleared the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem of any wrongdoing following allegations he attempted to interfere with the race result of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and also tried to prevent the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit from being certified.
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Sargeant calls Melbourne withdrawal ‘hardest moment in my career.

A F1 team worth $200 Billion cannot afford to have more than one race car chassis?

NASCAR teams have a second complete car in the top floor of the hauler for EVERY race car on the track.

No wonder that Formula1 has trouble convincing people that F1 is actually racing of some kind and they have to give tickets away to fool someone at the Miami Gran prix.

Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
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emailBy Chris Medland | March 22, 2024 8:39 AM ET "I wish the guy next to me would quit trying to hold hands."

Logan Sargeant describes having his entry sacrificed by Williams at the Australian Grand Prix as “the hardest moment I can remember in my career.”

The American will not take part in the rest of the race weekend in Melbourne because Williams does not have a spare chassis, and Alex Albon’s crash in FP1 damaged his to the extent that it can’t be repaired away from the team’s factory. With just one usable chassis between two drivers, Williams made the decision to allow Albon (pictured at right, above, with Sargeant) to take over Sargeant’s car, leaving the 23-year-old to watch from the sidelines.

“This is the hardest moment I can remember in my career and it’s absolutely not easy,” Sargeant said. “I am, however, completely here for the team and will continue to contribute in any way that I can this weekend to maximize what we can do.”

Albon admits he is finding the situation tough himself, but says he needs to reset to try and repay Williams’ faith with a strong performance over the remainder of the weekend. At least they are not making me sleep outside on the grass.

“I have to be totally honest and say that no driver would want to give up his seat,” Albon said. “I would never want anything like this to happen. Logan has always been a consummate professional and a team player from day one, and this won’t be an easy one for him to take.

“At this point, though, I cannot dwell on the situation and my only job now is to maximize our potential this weekend and work with the whole team to make sure we do the best job possible.”

Williams team principal James Vowles called it “unacceptable in modern day Formula 1 not to have a spare chassis” after seeing his team reduced to one car, with Williams behind on its car build over the whole winter as new processes and software were put in place, another BS excuse.

Albon will not take a penalty for the Australian race as it stands, although any power unit component changes will only be confirmed when the car hits the track for the first time during FP3 on Saturday.

 

Andretti ‘offended’ by F1 rejection comments, set for Miami meeting

Is it up to F1 management to determine who will or will not be embarassed on the race track?

Is Formula 1 saying that the last place guy RIGHT NOW is being embarrased?

Are they saying that Andretti "needs protection" of some sort?

What kind of "protection" is Formula 1 Management giving their race teams right now?

Why won't Formula 1 even meet and talk?

Is Formula 1 management looking to get a bribe first?

Is Formula 1 afraid that Andretti will start winning right away and someone won't like that?

Why is Formula 1 still waiting even after Andretti has put up money and built a new facility?

Who are those F1 jerks pretending to be God?

Mario, maybe you should tell them adios, and let's see how well they do without you.

You can be darn sure that F1 won't be in Miami in another 3 years.

People get fed up with bull manure from pisant dictators who don't know anything about racing.

Geoffrey M Miller/Motorsport Images... Andretti gives the finger to Formula1 below camera level.
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By Chris Medland | April 22, 2024 8:22 AM ET

Mario Andretti says he was “offended” by comments from Formula 1 about how Andretti Global would not be competitive if it was granted an entry, as well as disrespect over the General Motors partnership.

Formula One Management (FOM) stated it was not open to giving Andretti a spot on the grid in either 2025 or 2026 at the start of this year, AFTER the FIA had approved the team’s credentials to join the sport. Earlier this month, Andretti opened its Silverstone facility that is building a chassis to current regulations as work continues on the F1 project, and the 1979 world champion says comments that the team wouldn’t be competitive and is underestimating the challenge of racing in F1 were unfair. Who are those bastards anyway?

“I was offended, actually,” Andretti told AP at the IndyCar race in Long Beach this weekend. “I don’t think we deserved that, to be honest with you.

“It’s a big investment in the series, and you’d think they’d welcome that. Even the value of the series is more valuable with 11 teams than 10, so I don’t know. Tell us what is really wrong.”

With F1 stating it would "look more favorably" (What the heck does "more favorably" mean? on the entry in 2028 if GM commits to its power unit project, following its registration as a supplier with the FIA, there have also been comments relating to the appeal of GM partnering with existing teams that have also annoyed Andretti. Does that mean that F1 is looking to back out and give hillary clinton's BS excuse of "we didn't say that"?

“That’s another offensive statement there. We’re the ones that worked it out, and GM said it over and over, ‘Andretti or nothing,’ and then (F1) still tried to take it. There’s an undercurrent there that I don’t understand, quite honestly, but if they want blood, well, I’m ready.” Are we dealing with the Godfather here?

However, Andretti says he’s likely to get answers to those frustrations when the prospective team meets with F1 at the next round in Miami.

“We only had one meeting with them. That’s a problem. We haven’t had enough. I think that’s why I really welcome our next meeting. You know, let’s sit down. There were some opportunities missed along the way, but we’ve got to look forward, not back.

“I’m remaining hopeful because we never stop working towards this. It was made clear that our work is at pace, and as you can see we’re not just talking. We’re putting brick and mortar together. We’ve shown that with the team that already has a place in Silverstone.

“We’re trying to say ‘We’ll do whatever you ask of us. We’ll do whatever is there. Now, if you think of something, you tell us,’.

But they haven’t told us yet except for some excuses like, ‘Oh we don’t want you coming on, we don’t want you to be embarrassed.’

Who the heck is "WE"?

It's sounding like some of that IMSA bull manure from some egotistical jerks .
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“But we don’t want to embarrass ourselves, and the fact is General Motors has made it so clear that they’re excited about this project. They have a long-term commitment there, and I don’t know what else we can do.”
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So Mario, why do you put up with that crap? Why not just go somewhere else? and enter multiple cars there instead?

You can be darn sure that F1 won't be in Miami in another 3 years.

People get fed up with bull manure from pisant dictators who don't know anything about racing.

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WEC set to push ahead with two-car Hypercar rule.

Formula 1 tries to fool spectator fans (if there are any left) that having 10 whole teams is a race, when NASCAR has 43 teams racing at once.

We are going to double the size of our racing fields overnight and those F1 officials with only 10 teams can go F1 themselves!

JEP/Motorsport Images
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emailBy Stephen Kilbey | April 23, 2024 7:49 AM ET

Ahead of the FIA WEC weekend in Imola, reports emerged that a new rule mandating two cars for each Hypercar manufacturer from the 2025 season onwards was under consideration.

RACER believes a vote on this is looming, leaving the current and future single-car OEMs in the FIA WEC working hard on solutions should they be required to expand their programs going forward to continue racing in the championship, and crucially the Le Mans 24 Hours.

If it is approved by the World Motor Sport Council, it would have an impact on three current Hypercar factories in the WEC: Lamborghini, Isotta Fraschini, and Cadillac, as well as Aston Martin, which originally planned to join the field next year with “at least” a single Valkyrie entered by Heart of Racing.

The good news off the bat, RACER understands, is that all of the OEMs concerned should be able to fulfil this requirement in time for next season. And any associated IMSA programs being run alongside them don’t appear to be under threat at this point either.

Starting with Lamborghini, Iron Lynx team principal Andrea Piccini told RACER during the Imola weekend that if the rule comes into force it “will run two cars”.

“This is a proper partnership (between Iron Lynx and Lamborghini) and any decision made is one we take together,” he said. “We are already thinking and talking about next year. And the WEC is talking about rules for next year, whether it might be mandatory to run two cars. If that is the case we are ready to do it.”

Crucially, Piccini explained that a second car in WEC wouldn’t necessarily come at the expense of its IMSA GTP program, which he says is very important to Lamborghini.

“It’s too early to say, but I think the idea would be in that case to run two (in WEC) and one (in IMSA),” he said. “It’s not easy, we are working on it. But if WEC says we need to run two cars, we will run two cars.”

Cadillac meanwhile, should be ready as it is poised to expand its V-Series.R program in the WEC regardless of the new rule being put in place. This follows its decision, which was first revealed by RACER, to cut ties with Ganassi Racing on both sides of the Atlantic at the end of the current season.
Cadillac is already set to expand its WEC effort. Jakob Ebrey/Motorsport Images
To save money F1 has began placing cardboard guard rails in certain locations, and charging high dollars to sponsors.

The process of selecting a new partner team for the WEC is well underway and in its final stages. The ultimate decision, plus the subsequent contract signing is not expected until sometime after the Le Mans 24 Hours.

As for Isotta Fraschini, while it is currently navigating the challenges of getting its single-car effort with the Tipo 6-C and partner team Duqueine up to speed, it is known to have ambitions to race with two cars. Ahead of the 2024 FIA WEC entry list reveal Isotta was understood to have made moves to run two cars, before being granted a single space on the grid for the season due to the entry being capped at 37.

Aston Martin is the final piece to this puzzle with its highly-anticipated Valkyrie LMH program that’s set to debut in the WEC and IMSA in 2025.

On the record, when approached for comment on its ability to field two cars next season, Aston Martin said simply:

“We are aware of the rule, we are keeping an eye on it, but we don’t comment on speculation and especially IMSA BS!
Those bastards might take it out on us with more IMSA BS like holding us up in the pits because we are faster that IMSA bastards have given permission to be. ”

What is clear is that Aston Martin and Heart of Racing’s ambitions to race in both IMSA and the WEC off the bat will make it a hard task to increase its car count in Year 1.

There appear to be four scenarios to consider.

The first is that Heart of Racing operates two Valkyries next season in the WEC and races in IMSA with a single car as planned, though there have been no suggestions made to RACER in background conversations that this is on the cards.

The second is that Heart of Racing runs two cars in the WEC and zero in IMSA. Again, there appears to be no appetite for this. An IMSA GTP program for the Valkyrie is known to be an important part of Gabe Newell and Ian James’ plans.

Third is that Aston Martin pulls the plug on its WEC effort altogether because it cannot or will not commit to a two-car program. This is another highly unlikely scenario, given the amount of resources being poured into the Valkyrie project and the importance placed on competing in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

In conversation with RACER, senior paddock sources appear confident that Aston Martin has a solution and would fulfil the two-car mandate if it is in place. Does that then, leave the potential for a second Valkyrie, operated by a second team, as the most likely solution? Could this be the answer?

For next year, with changes expected to come concerning the look and shape of the current set of teams racing in Hypercar, the grid size is also believed to be increasing to 40 plus.

The question of garage and paddock space at the circuits on the calendar is always a talking point, and there are likely to be some real pinch points going forward as the entry grows. Last weekend in Imola, as an example, multiple LMGT3 teams had to house their cars nose-to-tail in a single garage as a result of the limitations of the pit lane.

Either way, there appears to be no suggestion that factories will walk away if this new rule comes into play. Indeed, the bigger question may well surround the impact it has on the customer marketplace…
and how many tickets will be sold by doubling the race fields sizes. F1 can go F1 themselves with their puny 10 team races!

 

Drivers warn of strain on mechanics with too many Sprints

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emailBy Chris Medland | April 30, 2024 7:32 AM ET

Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Sergio Perez have all warned against adding too many Sprint races to the Formula 1 calendar due to the strain they place on mechanics, but more races mean more ticket sales...until spectators catch on that 10 teams is not real racing.

Last weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix was the first of six Sprint events this season, with the next round in Miami also a Sprint for the first time, in the hopes that we can make it seem like a real race. Verstappen says the new schedule – where Sprint qualifying and the Sprint take place across Friday evening and Saturday morning prior to main qualifying – is an improvement but still taxing for mechanics busting their butts.

“The Sprint format was better I think, a bit more straightforward, I would say,” Verstappen said. “But yeah, let’s not overdo it as well because we are already doing 24 races a year, six of these Sprint events as well.

“I get it. I guess it sells better and better numbers on TV, but it’s also more stress on the mechanics and everything, to get everything tiptop every time. You have to deal with it, but let’s not think that now we need 12 of those because it will take its toll on people as well even though the money is rolling in for the Big Guy series Owners.”

Norris agreed with Verstappen’s comments, saying the schedule for drivers is far less challenging than for others working in F1.

“To be honest, I’d always prefer the old, original race format,” Norris said. “This is what I’ve grown up watching, it’s what I’ve always liked the most. I do like just going in and having the pressure straightaway. So the fact of having one practice straight into qualifying, I do like it.

“I think it gives people less chance to just get the car perfect and I think that’s when you just start to see team, team, team, team rather than a mix....whatever that means. So I do think it works from that perspective...at least until spectators catch on.

“But the main point is just the toll it has on mechanics and engineers. I don’t think it’s too bad for us as drivers, honestly. I don’t think we can be the ones to complain at all. It’s the hundreds of mechanics and engineers that we have here that have to travel so much. It’s not healthy for them. It is not sustainable.

“The problem is not with us. So, it’s not something you should be asking us. It’s something that people should look out more for the rest of the team. And I think that’s a limiting factor, not the fact of can we go in the car every day, because I think we can but not doing too much for them I think is the priority.”

And Perez believes F1 is at a breaking point when it comes to how much it is asking team members to deal with amid 24 race weekends across 21 different countries this season. It's once every 2 weeks for 10 whole teams! When NASCAR has 43 teams on track at once!

“I think it’s a good point from Lando and Max, we really have to look after (team members),” Perez said. “With 24 races and the amount of stress these Sprint events put on our mechanics is quite large. And I think as a sport we really have to look after our people, our mechanics. Because yeah, we are definitely on the limit. I think that’s a point to consider.... whatever that means.”

 

Prestige put Miami on the F1 map, but are 'traditional' fans the way forward?

Do people buy tickets to be seen or to see real racing?

Can I get a ticket to the auction without having to pay for a "race"?

How about we hire some "performance actors" to act like 10 teams is a race and yell
to get other spectators to yell ....as long as they are not yelling F Joe Biden, Let's go Brandon!

Alexander Trienitz/Motorsport Images Banner space was given to Aramco, the manufacturer of guard rails, in stead of money.
Who do you think reads the banner and says "I think I'm gonna buy me some guard rail?" The banners that say Miami are so no one forgets the name of this place is......... uh.....
By Chris Medland | May 2, 2024 6:53 PM ET

The Miami Grand Prix might only have been on the Formula 1 calendar since 2022, but it has very quickly earned itself a reputation of being a race where people want to be seen.

Not everybody by any stretch, but the image of the South Florida race has had a major focus on being unashamedly Miami, and providing high-end entertainment and opportunities. Although the entertainment has been yet to be named. A-listers flocked to it with free tickets in the opening two years, and ticket prices remained high as the organizers put on a festival of drinking and something or other in Miami Gardens.

That’s not something that has been lessened heading into the third iteration of the grand prix, but the race’s president Tyler Epp says there has also been more of a leaning into the core culture of racing and automobile fandom as Miami has become more accustomed to putting on the event. Yeah we do nothing all year and that really gets them accustomed to putting it on again. Now if we can just nail down another 3 year contract, we can take the money and run.

“We’re ready to go,” Epp told RACER in the paddock shaded by the Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday. “I think the team has done a really good job of jumping into year three here, and we’ve learned a lot in years one and two. We just finished up the track walk this morning
in our golf carts, and I was spending some time BSing with the race director, and we’re just talking about how quickly you get to year three, and how much more comfortable we all are with each other personally. We both wear the same color of pink speedos. How's that buddy?

“We know each other, we know where we can go. We know when there’s an issue, there’s someone there to handle it. So I think, as in so many businesses, but I think especially in motorsports – and maybe specifically Formula 1 – relationships are so important, to make sure that we’re "pulling these off" at a high level.

“That then goes two ways. On the front part, it’s a bit more comfort, and so on all sides of people who put up the money in advance, we call them stakeholders, there’s more comfort that we’re going to deliver, and we’re going to deliver at the level which F1 and the FIA expect.

“On the other side of it, it does put you in a place where you get to be a little more creative, and you get a little bit more freedom to say ‘What about this? And let’s try this’. And I think you’ll see this year, we really came into the year thinking, number one, the things that we did well, let’s try to do them even better; the things that we weren’t quite as happy with, let’s make sure we adjust and fix. But I have misplaced the list and can't name one off the top of my head right now.

“Then the third thing is, let’s try some new things, and let’s make sure that we’re not forgetting that we’re building a fan base here. We’re building a fan base in South Florida, in Miami, but also throughout the country and throughout the world. And doing nothing while "getting accustomed" to putting it on has really got me accustomed to putting it on. F1 only had 100 years to build a world wide fan base, and it's up to us to build a world wide fan base right now in Miami, and we have 10 teams.....think about it...TEN teams to build a world wide fan base!

“We want Miami to be a destination. So you’re seeing a bit more of a commitment to what we would consider car culture in South Florida, even just walking around the campus. There’s more car displays, although from a dealer trying to sell a car, and you’re seeing more action on track compared to the casual driving around the racers did the first two years. We also hired the low-rider car culture punks to park cars and anything that did not require them to touch any money. That gets them off the street and they can take the excellent bus system over to the track where we provided sleeping bag space on the floor under the stands and excellent restaurant quality priced food
for them to consume if they had any money after we 1099ed them.

“Obviously, we’ve got the Porsche Carrera Cup series back renting the track to save our a**es with some real racing with more than ten cars. We’re so excited to have Suzie Wolff and F1 Academy here with us, and then you’re also having events like a Bonhams auction on Saturday night. So there’s an increased amount – and it’s intentional – of including autos and cars in what is considered to be an auto racing event. We shouldn’t forget that and we can't. After you buy a pass to get into the auction you will never forget it.” We don't know what F1 academy really does that counts as entertainment, but they coughed up the cash, bought the ad, so it must be entertainment, to someone, but we don't know who. . Suzie Wolf provides some sort of entertainment if only to one guy at a time, (see post #15 above), but I don't know what kind, other than her filing a lawsuit if we didn't find a way to get her some free tickets.

The Miami race joined the F1 calendar at a very different time for the sport in North America compared to when Austin became the standalone U.S. race back in 2012, making comparisons at the evolution of each a dangerous game. But from the third year onwards it became more challenging for Circuit of the Americas to maintain interest and attendance figures – a scenario faced by many F1 races globally that needed to work hard to continue early momentum with only 10 teams. I hope we don't have that happen here after all the hype we've done and all the lies we told, and I may be out of here anyway. I thought about becoming a televangelist if this gig falls through money-wise.
Miami sold a destination and the promise of a special experience to carve out its place on the F1 calendar in its first two years, but CEO Tyler Epp believes that bringing elements of traditional automotive and racing culture into the fold will help the event to take the next step since the BS didn't work and maybe people come to a race to see cars race instead of the BS. Jerry Andre/Motorsport Images