Every Formula One race has its own identity. And many circuits have their “thing” – some widely known feature you won’t find anywhere else.
Monaco is known for the Nouvelle Chicane, Turns 10 and 11 right in front of the port, while Spa features Eau Rouge, one of F1’s most notorious corners. Then fans come to Miami, which starkly contrasts the Americanism of Austin’s Circuit of the Americas yet still embodies the U.S.
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When first developing this GP, race organizers hoped to run the track in downtown Miami, an oceanside answer to Monaco’s famed layout. That didn’t work out, so we’ve got a track built around the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins. But building the Miami International Autodrome a dozen miles from South Beach didn’t keep race organizers from importing bits of color that offer that “Miami feel.”
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And so we’ve got the fake marina.
“For us, we have been very committed to from the beginning the brand of Miami, and we’re going to take the Formula 1 platform,” Epp said, “and we’re going to create Miami as the lens for which people are viewing the race.”
Of course, there’s plenty for the drivers to focus on as well as the second Miami GP kicks off. Here’s all you need to know about the first U.S. circuit on the 2023 calendar.
Points of interest
Miami’s temporary track was selected from more than 30 proposed layouts but received mixed reviews during its inaugural season last year. Most drivers criticized the track surface, and some were unimpressed by various points. This year’s temporary circuit has the same layout this season, with just a few tweaks here and there, including a much-needed resurfacing.
Here are a few key points that fans should keep an eye on.
A. Turns 13 to 16
Daniel Ricciardo described this chicane as “a little too Mickey Mouse” last season, which tells you all you need to know about it. It’s slow and narrow as the cars file under the turnpike. (Regulations put a speed limit around overhead features, which is why the chicane is there at all.)
B. Turn 16 to 17
At the end of the long straight, drivers face another prime overtaking spot with the tight left-hander of Turn 17, which is right near the Dolphins’ practice fields. It’s key to remember that there were only 45 overtakes throughout last year’s Miami Grand Prix —here’s hoping for more in 2023.
C. Turn 11
This is a braking zone before hitting the accelerator into Turn 12. The left-hander is poised to be a good overtaking spot and a potential litmus test for one issue sucking up oxygen ahead of this race: just how passing is possible right now. That was a major sore point in last week’s Azerbaijan GP, and some drivers have noted that it’s been more challenging to follow competitors this year, which diminishes the usefulness of DRS.
D. Turns 6-7-8
This sequence is right in front of the MIA Marina (aka faux marina, which for this year has some actual water). Pierre Gasly, who describes himself as “the type of guy to like Miami,” said he enjoyed the fast nature of this sequence.
But this portion came into the spotlight in 2022 when Gasly and Lando Norris collided as the Frenchman went around the outside of the McLaren during Turn 8. It ended both of their races as Norris spun and Gasly retired a few laps later.
Changes for 2023
The track has been resurfaced after drivers slammed it last year for offering poor grip and even breaking up at points. Sergio Pérez called the surface “a joke;” Fernando Alonso derided it as “not F1 standard.” Miami Grand Prix president Tyler Epp said they “really leaned on our partners at Tilke to make sure that we’re doing this properly.”
On the lighter side, the faux marina now features a couple of pools — with actual water in them.
Also, a few safety tweaks were made after conversations with the drivers’ council, F1, and the FIA, notably around Turns 13 through 16, which take drivers under the turnpike. That’s where both Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon crashed during practice sessions last year, each hitting a stretch of wall that wasn’t protected by the force-absorbing Tecpro barriers. After hitting the concrete with 51Gs of force, Ocon called the setup “unacceptable.”
For this year, the track features a rumble strip on the left for Turn 14, and the apex of Turn 15 is a bit elongated, both of which should help drivers navigate the section.
DRS deduction
As in Baku last week, two DRS zones have been shortened in Miami. The drivers don’t seem to get why, especially given the low number of overtakes at last year’s race.
“I think all of us didn’t really understand why they’ve been shortened. None of us were consulted about it or asked our opinion on it, and I think the race speaks for itself in Baku,” Mercedes’ George Russell said. “DRS is there to aid overtaking, and it’s always exciting when you’ve got these big DRS advantages, and it gives you the opportunity to fight, and clearly, in Baku, it was way too short.”
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Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc agreed. “I think with the cars that we have at the moment, it’s still quite difficult to follow,” he said. “Hopefully, in the future races, we won’t shorten them.”
McLaren’s Lando Norris noted that in Baku, he was stuck behind Zhou Guanyu for some 30 laps, and “there were a few times that if that extra 100 meters that it was shortened by would have been there, I could have been able to go for a move. So yeah, I think it’s the wrong direction.”
We’ll have to wait until Sunday’s GP to get a proper read on how the changes shake out.
Madeline Coleman is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering Formula One. Prior to joining The Athletic, she served as a writer and editor on Sports Illustrated’s breaking and trending news team. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Follow Madeline on Twitter @mwc13_3
