Formula One eyes Grand Prix in Miami

Managing director, says the championship is keen to stage a race in the Florida metropolis

MIAMI: A Formula One Grand Prix staged on the streets of Miami could become a reality by 2019 if city planners give the green light to the proposal at a meeting next week, a statement said Wednesday.

Formula One said in a statement that the City of Miami Commission had added the proposal to their upcoming May 10 meeting.

A vote in favour of hosting a leg of the Formula One World Championship would effectively make the race a formality.



Sean Bratches, managing director of Formula One's commercial operations, said the championship was keen to stage a race in the Florida metropolis. "We appreciate the community's interest in hosting a Formula One race and look forward to working with local officials and stakeholders to bring this vision to life," Bratches said in a statement.

"With over half a billion fans worldwide, Formula One 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 One and its fans."

The United States already hosts one round of the championship with the US Grand Prix in Austin in October.

Local media reports in Miami said the event in Florida would also take place around October, with a 10-year contract likely spanning 2019-2029.

The move to add a Miami leg follows Formula One's takeover by the American group Liberty Media, which has made no secret of it's desire to add an additional American race to the season.



Miami-based billionaire Stephen Ross, the owner of the Miami Dolphins, one of the backers of the proposed Grand Prix, said the event was a logical choice for the city. "Miami is a first-class global city and Formula One is a first-class global brand," Ross said.

"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."