The pomp of the first Miami Grand Prix quickly disappeared as F1 drivers became angry over a “horrible” track and fake marina yachts were favored over racing.

The Miami Grand Prix enters race week in a better position in 2024.

Lessons have been learned.

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Changes have been made.

And even with technical director Adrian Newey leaving Red Bull during a tumultuous time for Formula 1’s top team, Max Verstappen dominates another season and enters the third year of the Miami GP as the sole race winner.

But in 2022, the new American race on an expanding F1 circuit faced instant problems.

“It was really tough to race on that track,” George Russell said. “I don’t know what they did with the tarmac, but it’s horrible. I almost crashed coming into the pit lane.”

These strong words were echoed by several drivers, especially before race day.

Alex Albon added that the track was “very slippery” and insisted on resurfacing.

Now, F1 holds three races in the United States, highlighted by a season-ending mega-event in Las Vegas that takes place in front of The Sphere.

But in May 2022, Miami was seen as a major step forward for F1 in the United States, capitalizing on the success of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“Spectacular racing” was promised for the Miami GP debut, but fans believed on the race weekend that the glitz and glamor had taken precedence over the elite races taking place next to a stadium of the NFL for the Miami Dolphins.

In what has become a recurring theme for F1, the first year at Miami was filled with problems and complaints – a dislodged drain cover became a huge story before the lights went out for the first Las Vegas GP in 2023 – before the changes are made. do.

Nineteen corners, with three straights and three DRS zones, ultimately led to a solid race.

But with 24,000 tons of asphalt dumped around an NFL stadium and a “fake marina” giving off a heavy vibe in Miami, drivers initially felt like key issues had been overlooked.

Training accidents involving Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz led to more complaints on the track.

“What is really unacceptable is that it was 51G for which should not have had such a big impact,” Ocon told Autosport.

“There was a discussion last night. Carlos said the impact was far too great for what it should have been. Today the impact has been enormous. To be honest, this is probably the biggest diversion of my career.

“Yesterday, Carlos was injured. I was also injured today. The FIA ​​should do more for our safety.”

The inaugural Miami GP was, however, an overall victory for F1, setting a record for a live broadcast of the sport in the United States with an average audience of 2.6 million and a peak of 2.9 million.

Two years later, the Miami GP is still considered a calendar highlight and has become the first American race on the annual calendar, preceding Austin, Texas and Las Vegas.

If Verstappen wins again on Sunday, he will have overcome another bad week of news for Red Bull and dominated the podium again in Miami.