Miami Grand Prix Delivers Verdict On Potential 2025 Calendar Change For Sustainability

Saajan Jogia | Sep 10, 2024

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (81) during the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Miami Grand Prix organizers have no objection to the idea of running back-to-back Grands Prix in the future with the Canadian Grand Prix to become a doubleheader race weekend in 2025. Formula 1 intends to make this change on the calendar on grounds of sustainability.

The premier class of motorsport is looking at the best ways to reduce its carbon footprint, which aligns with its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2030. To achieve that goal, F1 needs to structure the calendar so that races are organized continent by continent, covering one region and its surrounding areas before moving on to a more distant location.

While many European races are held consecutively, there are still several race locations scheduled for specific times of the year. The sport could move closer to its goal by arranging the calendar based on logistical proximity.

The Miami GP is set for May 4 next year, following the final race of the triple-header in Saudi Arabia and before Formula 1 heads to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Italy. However, Miami GP president Tyler Epp told Autosport that the event date is something he doesn't want to move. He said:

“We like our slot on the calendar.

“We like being early on, the first US race and it juxtaposes nicely with what Vegas is doing later in the year.

“To be honest our date doesn’t have much movement given everything else we have going on.

“American football doesn’t finish up until, hopefully, late January, we run the Miami Open [tennis], so logistically I can’t see us moving the date because of everything else.”

However, Epp didn't mind if the race in Montreal was moved closer to the Miami round. Scheduled for 15th June, the Canadian Grand Prix is positioned unsustainably between three European races and six additional European events before Formula 1 travels to Azerbaijan in September. He added:

“It is a larger F1 question, we don’t get to dictate that.

“We are in a spot where we don’t have a lot of movement, but we are in line with Formula 1 and the rest of the industry with sustainability.

“I think they [F1] have some things in the works, but our date is pretty firm. We don’t know until we see it, I wouldn’t mind it necessarily.

“One of the things that F1 does not get enough credit for is they let each promoter be distinct and unique. Going to a race in Miami is much different to going to a race in Montreal or in Vegas. It is why people travel to different races.

“I think that is fantastic for the sport. I’m not scared of putting Montreal around Miami, especially if it meets some sustainability goals around the sport.”

Epp also highlighted concerns he had about the addition of the Las Vegas GP to the calendar, fearing that it would take some of Miami's "luxury" customers away. However, he didn't witness a negative impact after the inaugural race at the Strip concluded successfully last year. He said:

“I will be honest and say when Vegas came on the calendar we were a bit worried about the luxury customer.

“We were concerned about that, but we have not seen any negative ramifications of that.

“We talk with them very frequently; I think our businesses are different enough to complement one another but close enough to align strategically.

“Vegas has been a benefit to the business, that communication with promoters in Vegas is very positive.

“We are very different markets - they are very heavily domestic, our average is about 40% South Florida, another 20% domestic and then everything else is overseas.”