After criticism of Miami’s new Formula One race track, local officials promise: If it helps, changes will be implemented
Max Verstappen doesn’t like the Miami International Autodrome “at all” and other Formula One drivers have also been critical of the new circuit in the USA. The local organisers take note of this and promise that if the street circuit is indeed unsuitable in its current form, they will work on it in the aftermath of the first Grand Prix.
Tom Garfinkel, who is in charge of the Formula 1 racing project in Miami, explains that he is very concerned about having the “best possible track”. That’s why, for example, they will analyse in detail whether the track’s surface can still be optimised.
Some drivers had complained that the Miami International Autodrome only offered one line and hardly any grip off it, which was detrimental to potential overtaking attempts. That’s “not good”, says Garfinkel, “because we don’t see as many overtaking manoeuvres that way. And I actually wanted to offer as many overtaking manoeuvres as possible with this track. “
Miami layout: many things are conceivable, but not everything is possible
If changes become necessary, “we will implement them,” says Garfinkel. However, the route in Miami, for example, is subject to certain constraints: The equally criticised slow passage between turns 11 and 16, for example, is a “necessary evil”, as Garfinkel describes it. The designers had little room for manoeuvre here.
“I don’t know if we explained well enough why the chicane is there,” says Garfinkel, explaining that they wanted to achieve two things: On the one hand, it was to lengthen the track with the sinuous curve before the second long straight, and on the other hand, it was to give other parts of the track the space “to make the rest of the layout great,” Garfinkel says.
You’re already pushing the envelope in Miami …
In addition, he said, the Miami International Autodrome on the east side is literally pushing its limits. “We don’t have enough run-off there,” admits track boss Garfinkel. “So we’ve had to make sure that a lot of speed is taken out.”
But he takes the criticism of these “Mickey Mouse passages” seriously: “After discussions with Formula 1 and FIA representatives, I think we have the opportunity to maybe change something to make it a little better.”
The tight complex of bends in the eastern part of the circuit is unlikely to disappear, however. The section “remains a necessary evil at this point so that the cars slow down,” says Garfinkel and emphasises again: “If changes are necessary, we will implement them. “
