Big changes are coming to the Formula 1 schedule for 2022. Most importantly, Miami has been added to the schedule. What does this mean for the current race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas? It means we might get two races in the U.S. for the 2022 season.

Though F1 cars like the Red Bull Racing RB16B are used to extreme conditions, are these cars ready for the Florida heat?

Formula 1 is going to Miami, Florida

Pack your bags and suntan lotion, race fans! Formula 1 formally announced the change ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend.

This is the 11th location in the U.S. that has been a part of Formula 1 since the 1950s. Indianapolis, Austin, Riverside, Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix, and Sebring have all had races. Now Miami is joining the team!

The track, which is at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, has 19 turns. It is 5.41km long and has three straights. This means there is a potential for three DRS zones with a top speed of 320 kilometers an hour.

The Hard Rock Stadium has also hosted Super Bowls, Baseball World Series events, and all sorts of concerts. This means it is probably ready for a race crowd, too.

What does this mean for the F1 race in Austin?

The contract between Formula 1 and Circuit of the Americas is set to expire this year. Since the company has not released the schedule for 2022 yet, it isn’t clear if races will take place in Miami and Austin or just Miami.

There have been rumbles that the Miami race might take place earlier in the year. This would allow for Miami and Austin to have separate Grand Prix races.

It will be interesting to see how the schedule allows for a race in Miami, given the threat of unpredictable Florida weather. There is a good possibility the race will be a bit soggy from hurricane season and summer storms. That always makes things interesting!

If nothing else, this is a good opportunity for the U.S. to have two full races on the schedule. And that means more Formula 1 fans!

A Miami F1 race compared to COTA

Currently, the only other U.S. Grand Prix occurs in Austin, Texas, at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) track. More specifically, the track is in Elroy, Texas. According to Wikipedia, the population of Elroy was 125 people in the 2000 census.

The population of Miami was just under 500,000 back in 2019. Miami Gardens, specifically, has a population of just over 111,000. That’s a pretty big difference. Even so, the traffic in Elroy erupts when the race comes to town. How will Miami be able to handle that?

The council offered certain benefits for the residents of Miami Gardens, where the race would be. No races during the school day or after sunset. Signage around the stadium to remind residents of the race and air quality control.

In order to “ensure a lasting and meaningful positive impact for city residents and businesses in connection with event,” the promoter will provide $5 million for a community benefits program, to be administered by the city with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department overseeing a “F1 in Schools” STEM program for the city, at no cost, for elementary, middle and high school students.”

Joe Saward | Autoweek

It will definitely be interesting to see how Miami unfolds over the next year. If the pockets are deep enough, the race is on. And we know the pockets are deep enough.