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Miami will host its third ever F1 occasion in Could and there’s loads to be careful for as the game heads to US shores for the primary of three visits this season. Listed here are 10 issues it’s best to look out for, in addition to a chance to attend the Miami Grand Prix in particular person with MoneyGram.
1. Will Verstappen lastly declare pole place?
Max Verstappen might have gained and set the quickest lap in each Miami races to date, however he has by no means began from pole. In 2022, a mistake in qualifying left him third on the grid and he needed to move each Ferraris to get to the entrance. In 2023, he was quickest in Q1 and Q2 however didn’t set a time in Q3 after a crimson flag stopped the session. That left him ninth on the grid, however he was in a position to move everybody forward of him. After a powerful run of poles this season, nevertheless, it may very well be third time fortunate for the Purple Bull driver in Miami.
2. Sporting some sporting lids
Most of the drivers create particular helmet liveries for this occasion and there’s certain to be loads extra distinctive designs this yr – however a few of the earlier efforts can be onerous to beat. There’s at all times loads of palm timber, however essentially the most notable creations to date have been three sports-themed lids, with Alex Albon sporting a golf ball final yr and Lando Norris sporting a basketball and a beachball up to now two occasions. So, what is going to or not it’s this time…maybe a baseball?
3. Star-Spangled particular
If there’s one place the place the nationwide anthem takes middle stage it’s America, and this time the Star-Spangled Banner can be sung by six-time Grammy Award winner Marc Anthony. Count on one thing slightly totally different, as a result of the organizers have promised the singer, who’s credited with greater than 107 Billboard chart primary hits, will “convey his personal aptitude” to the particular second. The primary race noticed five-time Latin Grammy Award winner Luis Fonsi gave his tackle the anthem whereas final yr it was one other Puerto Rican singer, Gale, on the mic. Anthony, like those that have gone earlier than him, was chosen on account of his affect on Hispanic tradition.
4. Double the drama as dash involves city
Two wins are up for grabs in Miami this yr after it was named as one of many six Dash race hosts for 2024. The Saturday Dash will run for 100km (62.14 miles) – round one-third a grand prix distance – with no pit stops and eight factors awarded for the winner, down to at least one level for eighth. The opposite Dash occasions are in China, Austria, Austin, Brazil and Qatar.
5. F1’s future feminine stars
Miami will see the F1 Academy return to the US, with the second spherical of the all-female feeder sequence on the invoice. The championship entails vehicles which are supported by every of the F1 groups and Miami represents the one alternative for followers to see the ladies drivers racing on American soil. There are two Individuals on the grid chasing success, with Lia Block within the Williams and Chloe Chambers, who completed fourth within the season-opening race in Jeddah and is chasing extra factors driving for Campos Racing supported by MoneyGram Haas F1 Staff.
6. Supercar tradition
A few of the world’s most spectacular supercars will be a part of the F1 line-up in Miami as a part of a stay present that culminates in an public sale by Bonhams Vehicles. The present displays the automotive tradition of Miami and wider South Florida area, and can see a powerful assortment of round 25 collector vehicles showcased across the Miami Campus earlier than being pushed on to the racetrack for the public sale, which is able to happen proper in entrance of the rostrum.
7. House hopes to finish 35-year look ahead to US driver
This would be the first of three residence races for MoneyGram Haas F1 Staff, with drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen within the hunt for factors – the Dane completed tenth right here final yr, the third time the crew has scored factors within the US. It is usually an enormous occasion for Williams driver Logan Sargeant. The Florida-born driver, who’s in his second season of F1, returns to his residence State on a mission – as a top-10 end would finish a 35-year look ahead to a US driver to attain factors on residence soil. The final time that occurred was in 1989, when Eddie Cheever really completed on the rostrum after taking third place at Phoenix in his Arrows.
8. Shuffling the timings
The Miami race is a daytime occasion, which makes it late afternoon and night viewing for followers throughout the pond. The Saturday dash will run at noon native time, which makes it a 5pm begin within the UK and 6pm in Europe. Qualifying begins 4 hours later, at 4pm native time, which is 9pm within the UK and 10pm in Europe, and the lights exit for the primary occasion on the similar 4pm slot on the Sunday.
9. Hitting the wall
The partitions are shut in Miami and with a easy monitor floor and excessive temperatures, tyres can shortly overheat and lose grip. Transferring off line makes issues even worse, so errors may be pricey. Within the first Miami race weekend each Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon each suffered heavy crashes at Flip 13 throughout apply, whereas final yr Leclerc hit the wall twice at Flip 7 – as soon as in apply and once more in qualifying. In 2022, there was one Security Automotive and one Digital Security Automotive interval, whereas in 2023 there was a messy first lap however no Security Automotive intervals in any respect. Count on extra dramas once more this time.
10. Lap report
The race lap report round Miami in 2022 was set by Max Verstappen at 1m31.361s however he shattered that final yr with a 1m29.709s lap. Each occasions had been set within the final three laps of the race, so maintain an eye fixed out late on this yr to see if anybody can go higher. The quickest ever lap across the circuit is at present held by Sergio Perez, whose pole place time in 2023 was 1m26.841s.
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