Miami GP Chief Makes U-Turn On 2024 Weekend Change Skepticism

Tyler Epp, President of the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, has made a surprising admission, reversing his stance on the value of adding a sprint race to the event.

Speaking in an interview with Motorsport.com, Epp conceded that his initial skepticism was unfounded. The Miami International Autodrome, which hosted its inaugural Grand Prix in 2022, was one of six circuits to include a sprint race this year. Epp’s change of heart comes after witnessing increased commercial success and positive fan feedback.

From the outset, Epp had doubts about the sprint race’s value proposition and its appeal to fans. He admitted:

“I was wrong about the sprint race, I was very concerned about the value proposition there, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

“I will be clear in saying I wasn’t in the camp when we first did the deal but the feedback and the data we got showed that year over year our attendance was up on a Saturday, and they were there early for a sprint race.”

The sprint race itself saw Max Verstappen triumph in the 19-lap contest, with Lando Norris securing his maiden F1 win in the Grand Prix the following day. The success of this new format has compelled organizers to retain the sprint race in Miami for the 2025 season. Notably, Belgium will replace Austria as one of the six tracks using the shorter race format, showcasing the growing adoption of this exciting addition to the F1 calendar.

Epp’s initial concerns centered around the commercial viability and audience engagement of sprint races. However, data changed his perspective.

“When we look at gate scans and we look at data, they weren’t coming for qualifying, they were coming for the sprint race.

“I was wrong, it has been a really, really good thing for us. I understand it hasn’t been that way for every promoter, but we really have enjoyed and see real commercial value in hosting a sprint race, it has been fantastic for us.”

Epp also spoke about the importance of support races in the overall event. The debut of the F1 Academy in 2024 and the return of the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America for its third consecutive year enhanced the weekend’s offerings.

“It does matter what goes on the track before Formula 1 does. In year one it was made very clear that nobody gets on the track before they did because they wanted to be the first on the new track,” he said.

“In year three support races were successful for us, putting Porsche on the track and F1 Academy on the track, was a real positive. Now, the racing lines aren’t always exactly the same but just laying rubber down did impact what the race teams were dealing with on track.

“From our perspective, we are very committed to two support series in some capacity, and we are expecting to have a similar line up next year.

“We learned a lot in years one and two, we take on challenges and mistakes and are honest about it, we try to attack them full throttle.

“Year two to year three was just about tweaks and in years four and five I think it is just as important we listen to our customers – we have put a big emphasis on that in the last 12 months.”