Why the Miami Grand Prix weekend will be a game changer for F1

For the first time since 1984, F1 is hosting two grands prix in the USA – with Miami joining the calendar alongside Austin – and the buzz around the championship in the country has perhaps never been higher.

The excitement is in stark contrast to years gone by when F1 was left struggling to find venues that worked for both the sport and attracted fan interest.

Now, especially with Las Vegas already pencilled in for 2023, F1 is approaching the Miami weekend without much of the scepticism that has shadowed previous new grands prix ventures.

Indeed, the interest of drivers, teams, fans, media, celebrities, sponsors and the local community has left anticipation for the weekend at levels that are not seen in many other places.

In fact, for McLaren CEO Zak Brown, what Miami will unleash on F1 this weekend is a step above everything he has witnessed before.

“I've never seen the level of sponsor engagement, activities, hospitality requests, celebrity requests ever at a grand prix,” he told Autosport.

“That is not just in my six years of running McLaren, because I've been around the sport for 20 years. And it feels to me very much like the Super Bowl, which is like the biggest event of the year.

“Not only does everyone want to come to the Super Bowl to see the event, but the half-time show, the parties, the events is all a part of it. And it's off the charts.

“We're one of the largest teams with hospitality, and we had double the requests. It's the largest hospitality programme we've ever had.”

A view of the circuit

Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images

In the past, F1 has been guilty of racing in locations where the sport makes almost no ripple downtown considering a grand prix is taking place a few miles away, but the