Plans fall through for second F1 race in America – for now 

Formula 1 will not race in Miami in 2019 as planned but Liberty Media hasn’t ruled out a 2020 race event.  

In a statement released on Monday, F1’s managing director of commercial operations, Sean Bratches, said that complicated negotiations with the race’s promoter, the city and the county of Miami Dade have meant it necessary to “postpone sign-off until later in the summer.”  

Bratches added that: “While our preference would have been to race in Miami in 2019, there was always a point by which delivering the best possible wheel-to-wheel racing experience for our fans, drivers and teams wouldn’t be possible in the time available.  

“We have now reached that point as far as racing in Miami in 2019 is concerned.” 

Bratches instead expects the race to join the 2020 F1 calendar as discussions between FOM and local authorities continue. 

 “We have always said that we wouldn’t compromise on delivering the best possible race, for the people of Miami, our fans and the 1.8 billion people who watch F1 globally every year,” Bratches said. “If that meant waiting until 2020, then that was far more preferable than signing off on a sub-optimal race track, just to do a deal.” 

Liberty has made no secret of its wishes to expand into the United States beyond the single race at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.