Miami Grand Prix Proves Formula 1 Is Here To Stay In The U.S.

The Miami Grand Prix from May 6-8 signified Formula 1’s acceptance and growing popularity in the United States.

There were a quarter of a million ticket requests for the event with average ticket prices on SeatGeak listed at $2,414 and others reaching as high as $33,704 on the resale platform.

Then F1 actually hosted its inaugural event in Miami—one of its three pillars of U.S. expansion and growth along with the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin and next year’s inaugural event in Las Vegas.

If the attendance and viewership for the Miami Grand Prix signify anything, it’s that Formula 1 is here to stay.

According to event organizers, more than 243,000 attended the three-day event at the Miami International Autodrome culminating with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finishing ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

For those unable to attend—or afford—the event in person and were left to watch on TV, they tuned in in droves as 23 million U.S. viewers watched throughout the weekend. TV viewership for qualifying on Saturday was 7.6 million, while 15.4 million tuned in for Sunday’s race meaning that viewership increased 27% compared to the 2021 U.S. Grand Prix in Austin where 2.2 million viewed that event’s race on Sunday.

“We believe we can have an incredible and bright future in the U.S.,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said before the Miami Grand Prix.

The attendance and viewership numbers for the inaugural race certainly signify Domenicali’s envisioned incredible and bright future in America as does F1’s new three-year broadcast deal with ESPN reportedly worth between $75-$90 million annually through 2025.

With the U.S. Grand Prix taking place October 21-23 and the inaugural race in Las Vegas in November, it seems as if Formula 1’s popularity in the United States is just beginning to rev up.

“I think it’s going to be fabulous for the city,” Steve Hill, CEO and president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, told Front Office Sports. “There just aren’t many opportunities that are this big. I think it’s similar to having a Super Bowl in town every year.”