04/05/2022
NEWS STORY
Lance Stroll: "It's amazing to see Formula One's popularity take off in America, especially as it means we get to visit and race in Miami, easily one of the coolest cities in the States. The first race at a new track is always one of the most exciting, you're going into it with limited data, and racing against the clock to get up to speed with the track. It's going to be a lot of work but rewarding to see F1 put on an amazing show in Miami."
Sebastian Vettel: "It's great to see another street circuit join the calendar, and the Miami track looks really interesting. From what we've experienced in the simulator, there are a few challenging corners. Turns 13-16 have a surprising amount of elevation-change to catch drivers out and there are long sections where overtaking should be possible with DRS. You can only learn so much pre-event - I'm excited to hit the track for the first time."
A multi-stop race is possible, despite it being a street circuit. Early estimates suggest a shorter than average pit-lane time loss, meaning additional stops won't be punished as harshly as they are at the likes of Imola and Singapore.
Understanding tyres is crucial on new tracks, making practice running essential. Tropical weather - temperatures in the low-30s, high humidity and the ever-present threat of rain - is a factor, though the C2, C3 and C4 range that was used in Jeddah provides a handy reference.
There has been a Safety Car at three of the last six races that were new or returned to F1 since 2020 (Imola, Portimao, Mugello, Qatar, Istanbul, and Jeddah). There's also been a Safety Car in every race so far in 2022.