Miami GP set for earlier slot, to be kept apart from COTA

The Miami Grand Prix will take place in the second quarter of 2022 and will be kept apart from the existing United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on the calendar.

Formula 1 announced the confirmation of a 10-year deal with Miami to start next year on Sunday morning at Imola, after years of work changing plans and working with the local community to gain approval for the event around Hard Rock Stadium. As part of the sport’s expansion in the U.S., CEO Stefano Domenicali says the new race will take place earlier in the year than Austin, to give each their own space on the calendar.

“The date will be in the second quarter of the next year,” Domenicali said. “We always said that the U.S. is a very important area where we need to develop our business. There are a lot of opportunities to catch and having two races in the U.S. means that we have taken the right direction for our strategy for the future. We will keep them separate in order to keep the right space for both, and this is really crucial.

“We are proud -- it’s not me, we are proud as Formula 1 -- because in this moment after all of the difficult 2020, the challenges in 2021, we are looking ahead and putting the foundations for an incredible future for Formula 1. This is a milestone that we all wanted, and just last night when we shared the information with all the teams, everyone was like, ‘Wow, that’s the right way to go, this is really where we should be,’ and this is the future we’re going to take for a great future for our Formula 1.”

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As COTA’s current contract expires at the end of 2021, when asked by RACER if it allows plans to be finalized in Texas he says the timing is purely coincidental

“As you know, discussions with Miami started earlier, so there is no connection the the end of the Texas contract. We want to keep them as two grands prix in the U.S., so that is something that I am sure will boost the interest and this is something that is really good for all of us."

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1383727345119293447

Miami Grand Prix managing partner Tom Garfinkel added that he doesn’t mind when the race is held, as his focus is on making the event one of the most desirable to attend on the calendar.

“From my perspective I’ll let Formula 1 handle the calendar or the race schedule!” Garfinkel said. “We’re happy to have a race in Miami, and whenever that falls on the calendar that fits with our schedule, if it’s the right time of year to host an event and be able to bring people -- we think this can be a destination race for fans and we really want to make it a destination race for teams and drivers, one of the marks on the calendar that they really look forward to all year.”