Miami GP 2022 under scrutiny after appeal from residents

The traveling circus of Formula-1 will set up its tents at the Miami circuit from 6-8 May of the 2022 season. This is a highly anticipated race making its first appearance on a formula-1 calendar. The track features 19 turns with eight right-handers,11 left-handers and with three straightaways, the longest of which is just less than a mile. Predicted average lap speed is calculated at 134 mph and the back straight will produce speeds of just less than 200 mph.

The sport has seen a significant increase in following in the United States with the 2021 Austin Grand-Prix recording the highest attendance at a grand-prix weekend ever. The drivers are in awe of the opportunity to go racing at the coastal metropolis of the United States. The streets of Miami has seen racing in form of other motorsports such as the Indycar or Formula-E and now it is ready to unveil the path to the pinnacle of motorsport. However, just a few weekends away from going racing in this city, the Miami grand-prix finds itself in jeopardy.

Miami GP: A Bane For the Locals

A lawsuit led by the Miami-Dade county commissioner states that noise levels from the Formula-1 races will “cause severe disruption and physical harm to Miami Gardens residents” citing an engineering firm’s estimate that the event will generate noise up to 97 decibels at homes within a 2.5-mile radius of the Hard-rock stadium “similar to the sound levels produced by a chainsaw”. This lawsuit has been issued on behalf of the Miami Gardens residents who describe the noise levels to be ‘intolerable’.

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Currently the race is set to undergo outside the infamous Hard rock stadium with the judge, Alan Fine indicating to make a ruling as early as Monday, April 18. The lawyers for both Hard Rock Stadium and the city of Miami Gardens said the judge shouldn’t take any steps that could prevent the Miami Grand Prix from moving forward before the city decides whether to issue a required special events permit. They further added that it should be up to the city, not a court to decide if the event complies with the city’s noise ordinance. Furthermore, that law says noise should not “unreasonably disturb the peace and comfort of adjacent residences” but doesn’t define what noise levels would meet that threshold.

This is not the first time in the history of the Miami circuit where a lawsuit has been filed against the prospect of a race. Initially, the Miami grand-prix was announced in May 2017, but canceled in April 2019 due to resistance shown by the local residents. Subsequently, a semi-permanent race track project at the Hard Rock stadium was submitted and again opposed by the local residents. However, due to a change in the Mayor of the city, the project was finally approved and the sport was welcomed to the renowned city.

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