Miami Mayor Francis Suarez on the City’s Formula 1 Race

When I asked Suarez about the race’s current location and reminded him of other historic U.S. F1 venues (Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Detroit, Vegas, etc.) that ultimately dropped off the calendar, he remained bullish on the race’s future success and, much to my surprise, said that it was inevitable for the race to eventually pivot to downtown, as originally planned.

“We have it in our blood and I think Miami, as opposed to many of these other cities that you mentioned, we’re a truly global city,” Suarez said. “We’re the city with the most Super Bowls ever hosted in the history of the NFL.”

“And the truth is that it would not surprise me if, in the future, we do see it downtown,” Suarez added. “Because I think what happens is that every major sports franchise, they come into a city, they get their first stadium, if you will, and then when they show and they prove that they work, and that it’s a great thing for the community, they usually get their second stadium. And usually, that’s a nicer one, it’s closer to the water. I think Formula One would probably be no different once people realize how incredible it is. They’re going to want it in the most exciting place. I supported the downtown location when it was proposed. I understand that they had time deadlines. So I think part of it was practical, political considerations, that they had to do something within a certain period of time.”

When I asked about the race’s possibility of moving locations within those 10 contracted years, he answered:

“I’m completely open to it… [Dolphins owner] Ross is a phenomenal business person. He’s done a tremendous amount for this community. If he called me tomorrow and said, ‘Hey, we want to move into downtown tomorrow,’ I would be willing to listen. So yeah, at any point ahead, I think that will happen. I think it’s inevitable, but it’s probably going to want to have a couple of races so that it’s a proof of concept. And then I think hopefully at one point it’ll pivot to Miami.”

Much like when Mexico City came on the F1 calendar in 2015 after a multi-decade absence, the race at COTA will undoubtedly suffer a blow in attendance and exposure when Miami fully comes online next year. This doesn’t bode well for the Texas track, who not only had to deal with the financial repercussions of COVID-19 but now has to worry about its contract with F1 parent company Liberty Media. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2021 marks the final year of the track’s 10-year contract, and it’s “doubtful” that state legislators will pump any cash toward another unless F1 and Texas are exclusive to each other.

In 2019, the special program aimed at bringing headlining events to the Lone Start State “contributed $26.8 million to hold the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin,” according to the outlet’s report. With local, state, and federal economies battered by the happenings of 2020, it’s unlikely that the state will want to play ball with dozens of millions of taxpayer dollars in 2022, especially with Miami in the picture, but that’s yet to be seen.

Suarez isn’t worried about Austin, or any other venue for that matter. When I asked him what he, in his own words, would tell every fan trying to decide whether to go to Austin or Miami in 2022, he didn’t mince his words.

“Has anybody ever actually been to Austin? I have to ask that question? No,” Suarez said, jokingly. “I think Miami is a beautiful city on the water. It’s an international city. People can come from all over the world and feel comfortable here. I think Miami right now is the epicenter of the tech world and everything that people are talking about. We want to be known as the capital of capitals. And I think a race like Formula One just fits that brand and that dynamic so good.”

“And I think, Austin, it doesn’t have that same brand,” he added. “As I said, it’s not like anybody in South America, Colombia is saying, ‘Hey, I’m going on a flight to Austin tomorrow.’ Or anybody in France or in Dubai. So I think Miami has that international flavor that really very few cities in America have and very few cities in the world have.”

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