Miami GP boss discusses David Beckham involvement and 2022 plans as F1 debut race awaits

The Miami GP will make its Formula 1 debut in May 2022; Tom Garfinkel spoke exclusively to Sky Sports about the plans

The boss of F1’s new race in Miami has revealed David Beckham wants to be involved in the event, which he hopes becomes a « destination for F1 fans ».

Beckham is the current president of co-owner of new MLS team Inter Miami, who were formed just as F1 was moving forward with plans for their first Grand Prix in the Florida city. The race around the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium will make its F1 debut in May 2022.

Tom Garfinkel, managing partner of the Miami GP, told Sky Sports: « It’s kind of a funny story – David and I have a mutual friend who called and said David wants to meet you and wants to get involved in the Formula 1 race.

« So we had dinner last week. David is very keen to come out to the event. He’s very excited about coming to Miami for the F1 race.

« We’ve gotten a lot of calls from different celebrities, friends, wealthy people and powerful people who all are expressing a lot of interest to come.

« I would expect a large degree of celebrity attendance coming from all over the world for this event. There is a big celebrity culture in Miami. »

F1’s planned circuit layout for the Miami Grand Prix

Miami will be the 11th different venue to host F1 in the United States. There was speculation its inclusion might compromise the future of Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, which has been on the calendar since 2012 and commonly takes place in October.

But COTA chief Bobby Epstein has talked of the two events being « complementary »; a sentiment echoed by Garfinkel. « All ships rise with the rising tide, » he said.

« For hardcore F1 fans in the US or casual ones, they now have another event to come to. The more the merrier. The more racing we have, more race fans we can create. Growth is important for everybody so I think it’s just a win for everybody. »

NFL commitments mean they’ll be kept separate on the calendar with Miami held between May 6-8 and Austin retaining its Autumn slot. « It’s up to Formula One, » Garfinkel says. « But we have the football season in the Fall so it would be difficult when we are hosting football games on the campus at the same time.

« I would expect we will stay in the Spring time for many years to come. »

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Watch the full interview with Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali as he speaks to Sky Sports News’ Craig Slater about the F1 calendar, the sport’s future, Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen and much more.

There were plans to construct a circuit in the Miami Bay area, with a section running over a bridge. In the end the track will encircle the home of the Miami Dolphins of whom Garfinkel is president and chief executive.

« I think it creates a lot of unique opportunities. We have built in premium spaces and clubs and areas for people to enjoy. On top of that you can walk around the top of the stadium and see every corner of the race track. To have vistas of every turn of the track is really unique.

« We certainly hope to create an event that becomes a destination for F1 fans around the world. When we roll out in early November there will be a lot of different ways to experience this event that are not traditional.

« It will be a campus, a Disneyland if you will, of different things to do and different things to experience whether that’s for families, for 25-year-olds that want to have a party and have a DJ, for corporate America to entertain clients and for hardcore F1 fans. »