US F1 events won’t be back-to-back

(GMM) Formula 1 will give America’s two races next year “space” on the 2022 calendar.

The sport announced at Imola that, despite the on-off saga of the proposed Miami GP over the past few years, Formula 1 will indeed head to Florida next year.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali explained that Miami and the existing US grand prix in Austin will be kept “separate” on the race calendar.

“The date (for Miami) will be in the second quarter of next year,” he said at Imola.

“We have always said that the United States is a key market in which we must develop our business. There are a lot of opportunities to be seized and having two races in the United States is the right direction for our strategy for the future.”

Currently, Austin is scheduled to host its 2021 race in late October, kicking off a subsequent trek to two other regional events – Mexico and Brazil.

Therefore, a summer date for Miami next year – paired with Canada – is likely. Le Journal de Montreal claims to know that Miami will take place “in June, just after Montreal”.

Referring to Miami and Austin, Domenicali explained: “We’ll keep them separate so that we have the right space for both of them. That’s really crucial.

“We are proud, and I mean as Formula 1, because after a difficult 2020 and with the challenges of 2021, we are looking to the future and laying the groundwork for an incredible future for Formula 1,” the Italian added.

“I’ll let F1 handle the calendar and the schedule, but we’re happy to have a race in Miami,” said the event’s Managing Director Tom Garfinkel.

“We think this can be a destination race for fans, and we really want to make it a destination race for teams and drivers, and one of the marks on the calendar that they really look forward to all year and that’s the goal.

“So whenever that is, and however that fits in the schedule with the other races, we’ll focus on Miami and try and accomplish those goals.”