Miami, FL

Miami Grand Prix wasn’t boring but F1 is… and there is a KEY reason why

Published

1 year ago

May 13, 2023

Miami Grand Prix wasn’t boring but F1 is… and there is a KEY reason why

‘The bigger they come, the harder they fall’ is what the age-old expression says, and it seems 2023’s Miami Grand Prix is the Formula 1 embodiment of that.

It’s not that the second edition of Formula 1’s Floridian adventure was a bad race — it was a marked improvement on last year’s pre-safety car procession — but, as with much of 2023, something seemed hollow about the whole weekend.

I disagree with those who thought that the 2023 Miami GP was a snoozefest, but I do understand why they think that, especially with the hype levels from the sport about racing around the Magic City.

Marketing for the Miami Grand Prix pushes a narrative that Liberty Media see this as an event with Monaco-level prestige with the attempts to amplify everything about it, like celebrity appearances, luxury hospitality, and VIP parties.

While much of the above is lost on television viewers, aside from Sir Jackie Stewart dragging Roger Federer to a pre-race interview, of course, the bombastic nature of the Miami GP feels like it magnified what’s lacking in 2023 far more than what Azerbaijan — a far duller race — did.Sir Jackie Stewart dragging Roger Federer to a pre-race interview

READ MORE: The key to making ‘BORING’ F1 season better for fans

Was the Miami GP that bad?

Statistics gathered by Reddit user u/catchingisonething show that Miami’s 57-lap
Sunday showdown had more overtakes in a single afternoon than any other 2023 grands prix, demonstrating the circuit had plenty of action to entertain.

However, even averaging over one overtake per lap, the race fell foul of what I can
often see in F2 and F3: a vast amount of quantity but little in the way of memorable quality.

There was lots of overtaking in Miami as Max Verstappen made his way through the field

READ MORE: Wolff delivers ‘glass half-empty’ WARNING on Mercedes upgrades

That’s not to say the overtakes weren’t richly-deserved passes or the racecraft from the drivers was of a lower-than-usual standard.

Quite the opposite, actually, with the Max Verstappen’s double overtake on Kevin Magnussen and Charles Leclerc being a particular highlight.

It’s that these moves didn’t pack a punch in the way that overtakes in a hotly-contested championship scrap or race-long back-and-forth podium fight do. Like Formula 1 in 2023, everything felt so… inevitable.

I knew Red Bull could sleepwalk into a win; that Verstappen has the edge over his
team-mate; that Ferrari lacks race pace; Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will yo-yo race-by-race; that Alpine will pick up the pieces behind the big four teams, and that three of those four will vie for the best-of-the-rest award.

Why is Formula 1 suffering?

There’s no overarching story that is gripping me when I tune in this season, and it’s that, rather than Miami itself, where F1 suffered most last weekend.

No matter how fun it was to witness Leclerc and Magnussen duel it out for 40 laps, few battles for P8 scratch the itch of a flat-out fight for first – and certainly not when that P8 battle is between two mismatched, out-of-position runners.

Yes, there was the intra-Red Bull contrary strategy and an on-track overtake for the lead. Yet even that felt predestined by Lap 15 after Verstappen had closed in to within three seconds of Sergio Perez, who had started the race on softer tyres and eight positions further up the road.

READ MORE: Russell urges FIA to make KEY F1 rule changes for larger SPECTACLE

Red Bull dominated the Miami Grand Prix weekend as Sergio Perez leads Max Verstappen

For all the plaudits Perez got for his Azerbaijan excellence, you’d have to be kidding yourself to think there’d be a season-long scrap between cars 1 and 11, and Miami exemplified that.

Formula 1 can’t always provide the equivalent of a football 5-4 thriller, I’ve watched
races for enough decades to understand that, but 2023 looks set to be a series of 3-0 thumpings by Red Bull that only the most fervent fan of the Milton Keynes outfit can relish.

The artificial sense of importance surrounding Miami merely meant that this race felt like a 5-0 thrashing instead — yes, there might be more to see, but the end result remains.

Just 18 more to go…

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Related Topics:F1 Featured Formula 1 Formula 1 2023 GPFans Jim Kimberley news

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Miami, FL

Live Updates: Miami Marlins at Kansas City Royals (Game Two)

Published

7 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

Live Updates: Miami Marlins at Kansas City Royals (Game Two)

On Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium, the Kansas City Royals (43-37) are set to face the Miami Marlins (27-51). With the Royals currently in contention for an AL Wild Card spot, every game holds significant weight as they aim to build on their recent successes against a lower-ranked opponents.

Seth Lugo takes the mound for Kansas City, boasting an impressive 10-2 record with a stellar 2.42 ERA and 87 strikeouts. Lugo’s consistency and dominance on the mound have been instrumental for the Royals this season, providing stability in crucial games.

The Marlins will counter with Yonny Chirinos, who recently joined their roster. Chirinos brings a 0-0 record and a 3.60 ERA with six strikeouts. His role in Miami’s rotation marks an opportunity for him to establish himself and contribute to the Marlins’ efforts to disrupt the Royals’ offense.

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Second Inning:

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First pitch is slated for 7:10 p.m. CTD.

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Miami, FL

Miami Dolphins 2024 roster: Biggest hole remaining?

Published

15 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

Miami Dolphins 2024 roster: Biggest hole remaining?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Miami Dolphins fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Miami Dolphins are about a month away from training camp starting, bringing together the full roster and starting the build-up toward the 2024 NFL season. This year’s roster saw some major changes as players like defensive lineman Christian Wilkins and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel left in free agency while the team signed free agency defensive lineman Calais Campbell and drafted edge rusher Chop Robinson. It has been a busy offseason in South Florida.

Was it enough? Where are your concerns about the team and the roster they have built? We bring back our SB Nation Reacts fan poll today to get your thoughts on the Dolphins’ roster. We want to know where you think the biggest hole remaining on Miami’s roster is.

Vote in the poll below and head to the comments to share why you voted the way you did. We will be back with the results later this week.

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Miami, FL

Don’t expect a Dolphins, Connor Williams reunion – The Splash Zone 6/25/24

Published

22 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

Don’t expect a Dolphins, Connor Williams reunion – The Splash Zone 6/25/24

The Miami Dolphins wasn’t the same after they lost their starting center, Connor Williams, for the year after an ACL injury. Williams is still without a team as he rehabs from the injury, but his agent Drew Rosenhaus believes the o-lineman will be good to go for the start of the season. Rosenhaus doesn’t believe a reunion with the Dolphins will happen as the team went out and invested in a new center in Aaron Brewer. Williams prefers to stay at center and from the sounds of it, there will be plenty of teams interested in him when he is ready to go.

You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.

Will center Connor Williams re-sign with the Dolphins? His agent offers insight – Yahoo Sports
Dolphins free agent center Williams looking elsewhere.

Dolphins Wide Receivers

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Preview: WR Erik Ezukanma
The 2022 fourth-round pick will be looking to earn a roster spot and a role on offense after missing most of last season with a neck injury.

Phinsider News You May Have Missed

De’Von Achane, the X-factor – Miami Dolphins News 6/24/24 – The Phinsider
Welcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours.

Pro Football Talk: Miami Dolphins not a top-10 NFL team – The Phinsider
In a pre-camp power rankings list, Mike Florio of PFT lists Miami Dolphins outside of the top-ten NFL teams.

Connor Williams Set To Return, Reunion with Miami Dolphins Unlikely – The Phinsider
Drew Rosenhuas confirms Connor Williams is healthy and has received interest from several teams. But will the Miami Dolphins be able to lure him back to South Florida?

Four former Miami Dolphins players available in free agency – The Phinsider
The Miami Dolphins signed 18 players since free agency began but were also forced to move on from talented players.

Phinsider Question Of The Day: 2024 Yardage Leader Edition – The Phinsider
Will Tyreek Hill continue to dominate the all purpose yardage mark for the Miami Dolphins?

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