Final 12 months Miami featured a glitzy opening ceremony with drivers introduced to the gang one after the other by American rapper LL Cool J, flanked by Miami Dolphins cheerleaders, whereas will.i.am carried out an orchestra enjoying a music he had co-produced particularly for the race with Lil Wayne.
The ceremony was met with blended opinions by followers, particularly its predominantly European TV viewers, whereas a number of drivers additionally had misgivings about being requested to spend an prolonged period of time within the Miami warmth of their race overalls.
For Sunday afternoon’s third operating of the race, F1 and the organisers have revised the ceremony, casting off the driving force introductions in the best way they had been carried out in 2023 and choosing a simpler run plan.
The drivers will likely be launched utilizing an enormous LED display screen above the beginning/end gantry, which may also be used to show different items of bespoke content material forward of the race’s 4pm native begin time (9pm BST).
Six-time Grammy winner Marc Anthony is about to carry out the American nationwide anthem, whereas Kaskade would be the DJ on the grid.
Whereas the change will not be immediately primarily based off driver suggestions, F1 has been evolving its pre-race build-ups since final 12 months to maneuver extra in the direction of music and on-the-grid leisure to raise the ambiance forward of the beginning.
Will.i.am declares Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia AlphaTauri, on the grid
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Former Haas staff boss Guenther Steiner, who’s current in Miami in an official capability because the race’s ambassador, says drivers ought to make extra of an effort to embrace the brand new methods American races are attempting to have interaction followers.
“I feel the drivers want to know that they are in a novel spot,” he mentioned.
“If one thing is new, it is simpler to be unfavourable than Positive. Even when you do not get pleasure from it, put your greatest effort into it as a result of it makes lots of people blissful.
“Clearly, racing must be an important factor, however you may give folks lots of leisure outdoors of the racing.
“Perhaps 20 years in the past, we simply needed to go and see a race, however now children need to have a full expertise and I feel Miami has introduced that to the calendar.
“Promoters noticed that this works since you entice folks to the game, which is what we wish.”
Different trackside acts throughout the weekend embody Ed Sheeran, John Summit, Kaytranada and Steve Aoki.