Formula One has had another positive step forward concerning the purposed 2021 Miami Grand Prix.
The event hit a pivotal roadblock last month when local Miami Gardens commissioner Barbara Jorda led an attempt to implement ‘anti-F1’ legislation meaning that only her approval would allow the race to occur.
However, Jorda’s efforts led to no avail as her purposed bill was vetoed by the county commissioner, meaning Formula One has made strong progress in finalising a deal to host the Grand Prix.
Formula One’s Management Chairman Chase Carey spoke about his team’s positive strides forward at a recent Liberty Media earnings call this week.
“We were thrilled with the progress in the last few weeks in Miami as we come closer to finalizing that potential tent-pole event on future calendars,” Carey said.
“Positive steps the last couple weeks — we’re actively engaged with them. “I think we’ve got meetings over the next week or two to continue to nail things down. And we feel good about where we are with that race for 2021.
“I think, first and foremost, we want to make sure it’s a great race, a race that will live up to the potential of what that race is — which is a real tent-pole race for us, not just in the U.S., but around the world, a race that will capture the world’s imagination. So we want to make sure we do the race.”
However, the Grands Prix future status remains hindered by a lawsuit filed by Jorda on behalf of Miami residents, declaring that the event would bring about unnecessary and dangerous levels of noise pollution and disruptions to public transport.
Though both the FOM and Miami Dolphins Football Club are adamant the lawsuit will not result in further delays of the race.
“The steps and processes we go through to ultimately finalize a race always have degrees of complications to them. But I think we feel good about the path we’re on, and we feel good about the opportunity to make the race in Miami a reality in the short term,” Carey added.
The circuit layout has already been amended to ensure the race occurs solely on Hard Rock Stadium land. No developments on the lawsuit have yet been reported.