With just over a week remaining before the motorsports world turns its attention to the Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, organizers of the Formula 1 CRYPTO.com Miami Grand Prix say Year 4 of the prestigious event presents a great opportunity to welcome new fans while bolstering the site’s first-class reputation as a race venue.
For the first time, single-day tickets for the May 2-4 race weekend are on sale allowing race fans more flexibility in attending Friday’s opening F1 practice, the Saturday sprint race and grand prix qualifying and the Sunday “main event,” the Miami Grand Prix (4 p.m. ET). The weekend schedule also includes F1 Academy races featuring some of the best female driving talent in the world as well as a pair of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America races.
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“Formula One, is a fairly new business for us and so one of the things we found after the first couple years, and specifically after last year, was we had a high number of people wanting to come but finding hurdles with scheduling or value proposition whatever it was, so the single-day ticket concept was focused on two things – value and accessibility," said Miami Grand Prix President Tyler Epp, who has worked extensively in the motorsports industry as well as Major League Baseball.
More: Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari spices rivalry with Max Verstappen leading into Miami Grand Prix
“We had the opportunity to bring somebody in and let them experience what the Miami Grand Prix is, maybe it’s just on a Friday afternoon when their personal and professional schedules allow it, or maybe they are die-hard race fans that want to come Sunday but have other things holding them back Friday and Saturday. For that grandstand audience which is so critical and important – it was an obvious opportunity to open up our dates a little bit and make sure everybody had an opportunity to come and join us."
While Epp understandably takes great pride in the venue’s now-established 3.363-mile, 19-turn course around Hard Rock Stadium – a course he doesn’t anticipate the FIA governing body will suggest any alterations to – he is also quick to share a continued emphasis on evolving fan amenities. With temperatures often approaching 90 degrees race weekend, he says fan comfort is a primary consideration.
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“We’ve invested heavily in creating shade structures in our grandstand and structures in every single zone, trying to use every opportunity to make sure people can get out of the sun if that’s what they want to do," said Epp, noting the importance and good fortune of incorporating Hard Rock Stadium into the weekend.
The stadium houses the paddock area (on the football field), where teams have private mobile venues featuring hospitality areas and meeting spaces. And fans have access to the “300 level” where they can sit in the grandstands and look down at all the goings-on. It has restrooms, concessions, a fantastic “insider’s” view and best of all, shade and comfort.
“We’ve seen more and more people gravitate toward that," Epp said.
Lando Norris' maiden F1 victory came at 2024 Miami Grand Prix
Competition-wise, the Miami Grand Prix has played an important role – crowning a first-time F1 winner a year ago. South Florida was the site of McLaren Racing driver Lando Norris’ maiden F1 victory. The British driver bested two-time Miami winner, Oracle Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, by a 7.6-seconds, leading 31 of the 56 laps to claim the first of what would be four trophies in 2024.
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It was a significant shift in competition with the Dutch driver Verstappen – the reigning and now four-time world champion – ultimately prevailing in the title run. However, Miami provided the beginning of a spirited challenge for the big trophy.
The 2025 season has picked right back up with that theme – featuring three winners in the opening five races. Norris, 25, won the Australian season opener from pole position.
His McLaren teammate, 24-year old Australian Oscar Piastri, has a season-best three wins – at China, Bahrain and most recently, a week ago in Saudi Arabia earning a 10-point advantage over his teammate atop the world championship standings. Verstappen – this year’s Japanese Grand Prix victor – is in third place 12 points behind Piastri.
The competition – which has included podium finishes for Mercedes and Ferrari drivers (including Ferrari’s newest driver, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton) – has been spirited and more wide open than in recent years.
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“Remember that started here last May with Lando, need to make sure credit is given," Epp said of the Miami contribution to last year’s championship run.
“All kidding aside, of course we love the competitive success on the race track, but we believe in Formula One as a product, period – whether it’s the most competitive year ever or we’re seeing the dominance of Max [Verstappen]. I think there is value in both of them. Certainly the American market is primed and perfect for the opportunity for the unknown or surprise winner. We welcome that. But our partnership with F1 is firm and solid no matter who’s winning races."
The Miami Grand Prix opens next Friday with a 12:30 p.m. Formula One practice session, followed by sprint race qualifying at 4:30 p.m. Gates open for parking at 11 a.m. and for spectators at 11:30 a.m.
Miami Grand Prix
May 2-4, Miami International Autodrome, Miami Gardens
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TV: 12:25 p.m., May 2, practice 1, ESPNU
4:25 p.m., May 2, sprint qualifying, ESPNEWS
11:55 a.m., May 3, sprint, ESPN
3:55 p.m., May 3, qualifying ESPN
4 p.m., May 4, main event, ABC
Tickets: f1miamigp.com/tickets
Defending champ: Lando Norris
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Formula 1 2024 season saw greater competition starting at Miami Grand Prix
