Miami Grand Prix considers switch to night race

The Miami Grand Prix is considering a switch to becoming a night race, Tom Garfinkel, the event’s managing partner, said on Sunday.

Garfinkel said that talks were ongoing with Formula One management about options for the future and said a night race was one item on the agenda.

“We’ve had some discussions about potentially doing that,” Garfinkel told reporters on Sunday.

Sunday’s race, won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, was the second Grand Prix held in Miami, with the event taking place around Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.

Garfinkel, who is also president and chief executive of the Dolphins, indicated that the intense heat of last year had contributed to the idea.

“Obviously at this time of year, the weather is a little unpredictable,” he said. “This year is pretty nice and the breezes have helped a lot, but last year was unseasonably hot.”

Moving the race to the night would, however, have an impact on European television ratings, given it would be broadcast well after midnight.

“There’s a lot of factors that go into that (decision) with F1 and television and everything else. So, we’ve got to weigh all those things. But we’re certainly open-minded to it,” he said.

“We’re not at a place where we’re making a decision right now. I think we’re having discussions about if we did it, and what would it look like.”

The new Las Vegas Grand Prix in November will be a night race and F1 also races after dark in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.