Next year, the USA will have three Grands Prix on the F1 calendar with Las Vegas returning alongside Austin and Miami. Could this figure rise to four in the future? This could be hinted at by the revelation that New York is trying to attract discipline.
However, Greg Maffei, after divulging this information, quickly tempered the enthusiasm by indicating that bringing the top category of motorsport to the city was “a scuffle [qu’elle] don’t need to drive”.
Even more, the site proposed by Eric Adams, mayor since January 1, located on Randalls and Wards Islands, is largely made up of parking lots and sports fields northeast Manhattan and is not seen as suitable by F1, he explained the boss of Liberty Media at an event held this Thursday in New York.
“Eric Adams’ management has contacted us to offer us a position”said Maffei. “I think it’s very difficult. Their proposal, Randalls Island, is probably not the ideal place for us. You know, a lot of time and money was spent here 15-20 years ago, including Leo Hindery, one of my predecessors, to try to create one in Hoboken.”
“I think the reality is that racing around the city in a place like New York, it’s just very, very, very hard. Las Vegas is one of the few places in the US where you can probably have a city racing, mentality it’s different there. New York is a wonderful place, but it’s hard to believe they’re going to close Central Park for us!”
What Maffei is referring to actually dates back to just over a decade ago, when a project for a “New York” race was set up in Port Imperial, New Jersey, with the city’s famous skyline as a backdrop. The Grand Prix had been included in the 2013 calendar but, in the end, the project failed for economic reasons.
The Red Bull RB7 on the streets of New York
When a moderator at the event he was attending added that he would like to see a race run on the streets of New York, Maffei replied: “I suspect other bands don’t, so it’s probably a fight we don’t need to fight.”
At the same time, the boss of Liberty Media, which controls the discipline, returned to the Miami GP which was held two weeks ago, saying it was a success even if some problems will have to be solved for 2023.
“I think overall it’s a great success, the demand was crazy […] Were there any logistical problems in this first race? [Par exemple] the drivers don’t like everything about the circuit, which is not uncommon, or the hospitality and safety of the Paddock Club. We’ll see. There are things to fix.”
“I think of dolphins [de Miami], our partners there, have done a great job overall. I think they are very aware of the problems or questions that have arisen, but they are very easy to solve.”
“But the TV experience, the fervor, the overall vibe in Miami has been extremely positive. I mean, incredibly positive. First year, it’s going to be a big, big, big event.”
Regarding Miami promoter Tom Garfinkel’s admission that the first race ended in loss, Maffei said: “I think it’s going to be very profitable for the Dolphins. I mean their P&L and ours are a little different. But they’re on a 10-year contract. I think they’re going to make a lot of money.”
With Adam Cooper
