FORMULA ONE chiefs have struck a deal to host the Miami Grand Prix from next season.
The 10-year contract is a huge shot in the arm for the sport after a difficult 13 months due to the Covid pandemic.
F1 already has a race in the US in Austin Texas, but it has always been the sport’s target to have more than one race in the States.
The track will be 5.41km long, have 19 corners, 3 straights and will race around the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula One, said: “We are looking forward to bringing the greatest racing spectacle on the planet to Miami for the first time in our sport’s history.
“We always said that the US is a very important area which we need to develop our business. There is a lot of opportunity to catch and having two races in the US means that we have taken the right direction for the future.
“We will try to keep the two races separate to keep the right space and this is crucial.
“We are all proud as F1 because at this moment, 2020 was so difficult, we are now looking ahead and we have put down the foundations for an incredible future for F1.
“This is an important milestone and once we showed the teams, everyone was like ‘wow, that is where we should be’ and this is the direction we are going in for F1.”
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen added: “It’s always interesting to go to a new place where we’ve never driven before and Miami is a great city.”
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🏁 F1 2021 calendar: practice times, dates and racetrack info
And Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto said: “We are delighted that F1 has added a new Grand Prix in the USA, a country where there is great untapped potential interest for this sport and which represents a very important market for our road cars.
“This event in Miami will certainly be fascinating, taking place in one of the most iconic cities in the USA.
“This news is yet another sign of the growth and vitality of F1 and the increasing interest it is generating around the world.”
The 2021 F1 race calendar consists of 23 races and runs until the season finale in Abu Dhabi on December 12.
This year’s world championship got underway at the end of last month in breathtaking fashion.
Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton became embroiled in a sensational battle for the race victory, with the seven-time champion eventually coming out on top for Mercedes.
And the Brit strengthened his case as the favourite for this year’s title by taking pole position at the Emilia Romagna GP on Saturday.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez occupies second on the grid ahead of Verstappen, with Charles LeClerc’s Ferrari completing the front two rows.
Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas could only manage eighth fastest heading into Sunday’s race.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
