The organizers of the Miami Grand Prix say they’re “scratching the floor” of the potential draw {that a} Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari partnership may very well be this yr.
Hamilton’s first week at Maranello has attracted enormous curiosity after he drove for Ferrari for the primary time on Wednesday, as Components 1’s most iconic staff and its most profitable driver pair up in 2025. Miami Grand Prix president Tyler Epp says there are a number of storylines which are driving fan curiosity in america this yr, however that the Hamilton transfer is prone to be the standout.
“At this level, we’re scratching the floor of it, however I believe all of us noticed it from a business standpoint final yr when it was introduced,” Epp instructed RACER. “Lewis’s presence within the sport – and never simply within the sport, even exterior the game, simply as a character and an envoy for motor racing basically – he’s simply so highly effective and so important, and his success on the observe is so admired.
“You then take that, and as we’ve gotten to know the Ferrari enterprise fairly effectively – we’re performing some enterprise with them in Might, and we do have interaction with them fairly closely right here in South Florida – it’s some of the distinctive and highly effective manufacturers we’ve ever form of gotten our fingers round.
“And so to place these two items collectively, fueled by the facility of Components 1 on the world stage, I believe all of us see what may very well be the truth right here.”
Chatting with RACER on the day the Miami Grand Prix started promoting one-day grandstand tickets for this yr’s race for the primary time – a transfer pushed by suggestions from followers asking for extra flexibility to tailor their entry to their very own necessities – Epp mentioned the best way the race continues to see development in its native market is especially encouraging.
“If we’re taking an sincere take a look at it, now we have seen regular curiosity in our race,” he mentioned. “I’d let you know that we’re pleased with what we constructed. I say this quite a bit, however I believe the truth that Stefano [Domenicali] and Components 1 enable us to be Miami and we’re not simply one other Components 1 race in one other market is de facto necessary.
“We get an opportunity to precise ourselves a little bit bit and do the issues that we do right here which are a bit completely different than one other market, and I believe that our fanbase responds to that. A very powerful factor that that we see is we see continued, regular development in our market during which we reside.
“South Florida continues to be marketplace for us, a market that’s rising, that’s partaking. I believe the reducing within the race observe for us in order that now we have further motorsports occasions now all year long, built-in into our soccer schedule and our stadium schedule, I believe, helps that.
“We’re we’re seeing engagement in several methods, by way of social and by way of a few of our membership applications, that I believe is completely different and permits us to unfold our wings a little bit bit, and herald the area people and guarantee that they’re a part of what we present yearly.
“So now we have seen regular development, and we proceed to see it. And I do know that everyone needs me to say, like, ‘The F1 fan in us, we will’t determine it out, we don’t know what we’re doing’. That’s not what we’re seeing. The info is de facto good for us, nevertheless it’s being pushed by South Florida, Latin America, and the remainder of the home U.S.”
