Formula 1’s hope of hosting a Miami Grand Prix is under threat once again following steps taken by the local Commission.
Last month, Liberty Media unveiled plans for a race around the Hard Rock Stadium after reaching an agreement in principle with Stephen Ross, the owner of the Miami Dolphins who play at the venue.
However, much like the original location downtown in the Floridian city, local residents and officials are again voicing unhappiness at the plan based on the disruption a Grand Prix would cause.
And last week the Miami Dade Commission passed a resolution which could prevent the road closures around the stadium needed to host the event.
Also, a public hearing may take place where the residents can voice their disapproval and thus require an appeal from F1 to overturn.
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Miami Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez could veto those moves by the authorities and has suggested he is willing to find a compromise.
“Nobody is going to be 100 percent happy, but we need to come to a middle ground,” he told the Miami Herald.
In response, however, Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver G. Gilbert III said: “This has to be a good place to live, and not just visit. The people who live here matter and sometimes we forget that.”
All of this comes as Circuit of the Americas chief Bobby Epstein has voiced bemusement at F1’s push for a race in what is effectively a stadium car park.
“The selling point behind Miami was not the track, it was the [original] backdrop,” he told ESPN. “They said we want to be in global destinations with iconic backdrops.
“It does seem very off-brand of them to have a parking-lot race.
“We don’t worry from a ticket sales point of view. I don’t worry that that will become a fan favourite,” he added.
“It’s not going to be a spectacular track but I do worry the impact it would have long-term in this market.
“I have never had a problem with another race in the same time zone and I’ve always welcomed the push for more U.S. races, but only if done the correct way.
“We dealt with the issues around the addition of the Mexican Grand Prix and the loss of revenue that initially gave us, but it’s clear they’ve built something there.”
Epstein concluded by slamming Liberty of how they’ve tried to increase F1 interest in America.
“If you ask me when Liberty bought the business – since then we’ve been the only one promoting F1 in the US and have been so successful in it but have they asked us how we’ve done it?
“Have they asked us for any help in building the sport in the US? Have they asked us for any advice? In every case I would say no.”