Latest news with #TylerEpp
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Welcome to Miami, where F1's sunshine party draws a crowd every sport craves
With a sellout once more expected, this weekend's Miami Grand Prix is building on an appeal to a younger, diverse audience that is a key part of Formula One's burgeoning success in the US. Making its mark on the calendar with a grand, spectacular party in the Florida sunshine since the inaugural race in 2022, Miami is considered something of a showcase. The opening blast of the three meetings now held in the US is a shop window for the sport with three teams, Racing Bulls, Sauber and Ferrari boasting special liveries for the event this weekend. The flamingo pink of the RB is very much making a splash but the clunky corporate blue addition to the Scuderia's scarlet has fallen very flat with fans. Related: FIA president hints at climbdown amid F1 driver standoff over swearing fines Naysayers may have disliked Miami's emphasis on being a show, of presenting a weekend of entertainment where the food and beverages (or F&B as it is bafflingly, for the uninitiated, referred to here) were as fundamental as the racing. Where the atmosphere went hand in hand with the competition. It was perhaps the first of the 'event' races F1 wanted to promote and like it or not, it has succeeded with numbers around this race telling their own story. The atmosphere in the general admission – campus – area of the increasingly popular and affordable tickets away from the high-end hospitality which dominates all the media, is one of unadulterated enjoyment, shot through with the glorious absence of world-weary cynicism. There is an air of, whisper it, hedonism; not all racing must be accompanied by sombre beard-scratching from a grassy bank in the rain. This atmosphere is not least informed by the makeup of the audience. From information from sales, admittedly with the caveat that the data refers only to the purchaser rather than all the ticket holders, Miami is reaching demographics every sport eyes with lustful ambition. 'We've got the high-end luxury buyer that we've really cultivated a relationship with and built their trust,' says Tyler Epp, the Miami GP president. 'But at the same time, we've got some of our entry level motorsport fan data that's telling us we're also a motorsport event for the people who are intrigued and interested and just want to come and see the cars for the first time.' It is these new fans that have led a push for the new single-day tickets and the three-day campus tickets. It is also, most significantly, a young audience. 'The base is growing most aggressively from what we've seen in the 20 and 30-year-old buyer,' Epp adds. 'Our data does not tell us that this is an audience of 30 to 60-year-old white men, that's not what we're seeing now. 'Certainly they're here but it's a much more eclectic diverse group than that and part of that's partially because we're in Miami, which is such a wonderfully diverse market.' Their data is corroborated trackside in both age and ethnic diversity, while the gender differential is also notable, with the race easing toward what might be a 50-50 split in forthcoming years. 'We're tracking about 40% female to 60% male right now,' he says. 'That's on the buyer data and I can also say that the female audience is certainly younger than the male audience. It skews younger.' These are the demographics the sport needs to build on the success it has enjoyed in the US with Drive to Survive and, for all that the sound and fury of Las Vegas might have appeared to have outshone Miami of late, it is undeniable that the race at the Hard Rock Stadium is pulling in the numbers. Last year when McLaren's Lando Norris won his first F1 race here it drew record viewing figures for the US of 3.1 million and Miami now holds the top three live US TV audiences in F1 history. While the season as a whole was pulling in an average of 1.11 million per race. Which, while still small in comparison to NFL and NBA, are considered strong numbers as the sport builds its presence. Epp is in good position to judge how the sport fares in comparative terms. He has worked both trackside and team side in Nascar, IndyCar and sports cars before moving into baseball for four and a half years and then putting in almost nine years with the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL; he is convinced the future remains bright. 'We can be very bullish about Formula One in the United States,' he said. 'I view it as solidified, here to stay and looking at continuous growth, not necessarily ebbs and flows. I think the United States sports ecosystem in general ebbs and flows a bit with competitiveness and competition in particular markets but as a whole we feel really, really good about the state of Formula One.'
Newsweek
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
F1 Miami President Reveals Record Sponsorship Revenue
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Miami Grand Prix president Tyler Epp has revealed that sponsorship revenue for the 2025 event has reached an all-time high, as per a report from Sports Business Journal. This comes as the race has secured a historic contract extension that will keep it on the Formula 1 calendar through 2041. This weekend's race now has 30 sponsors, including the likes of Fainbridge, Hard Rock, J.P. Morgan, Red Bull, Heineken, Liquid I.V., MSC Cruises, Ticketmaster, and more. Commenting on the event's title partner, Epp noted in a statement: "[What I've learned about is their business ebbs and flows with the markets, so they deepen their investment and are a little bit more prominent [this year], and that's their decision how they invest across their different enterprises." Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 02, 2025 in... Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 02, 2025 in Miami, Florida. MoreThis years race weekend features multiple different sponsor activations. One of which is from the title sponsor, which enables fans to purchase food and beverages on site using cryptocurrency. On top of this, fans who use Crypto Pay and correctly predict the 2025 Miami Grand Prix winner will be entered into a sweepstakes to win tickets for the 2026 event at the Hard Rock Stadium. This comes as the Miami Grand Prix has secured a ten-year contract extension. As it previously was locked in until 2031, this now ensures the race at the Miami International Autodrome a spot on the calendar through 2041 - the longest contract on the lineup. F1 CEO and President Stefano Domenicali stated on the contract extension, as previously reported by Newsweek Sports: "In just three years, the Miami Grand Prix has established itself as one of the most important and spectacular events on our calendar, an extraordinary example of quality and vision that truly represents the spirit and ambition of Formula 1 in the United States. "Extending this agreement until 2041 is a strategic milestone of enormous importance, which strengthens our presence in America and consolidates the ever-deepening bond with our fan base there, which is constantly growing and passionate like never before." The F1 chief added: "Miami is not only an extraordinary city, but also a truly global sporting hub, energetic, dynamic and culturally vibrant. All this would not have been possible without the far-sighted vision and tireless commitment of Stephen Ross and Tom Garfinkel, to whom I extend my sincere gratitude for the leadership, support and dedication with which they have helped transform the Miami Grand Prix into a world-class event." The 2025 Miami Grand Prix will take place tomorrow, Sunday 4 May, at 4 p.m. local time.
The Guardian
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Welcome to Miami, where F1's sunshine party draws a crowd every sport craves
With a sell out once more expected, this weekend's Miami Grand Prix is building on an appeal to a younger, diverse audience that is a key part of Formula One's burgeoning success in the US. Making its mark on the calendar with a grand, spectacular party in the Florida sunshine since the inaugural race in 2022, Miami is considered something of a showcase. The opening blast of the three meetings now held in the US is a shop window for the sport with three teams, Racing Bulls, Sauber and Ferrari boasting special liveries for the event this weekend. The flamingo pink of the RB is very much making a splash but the clunky corporate blue addition to the Scuderia's scarlet has fallen very flat with fans. Naysayers may have disliked Miami's emphasis on being a show, of presenting a weekend of entertainment where the food and beverages (or F&B as it is bafflingly, for the uninitiated, referred to here) were as fundamental as the racing. Where the atmosphere went hand in hand with the competition. It was perhaps the first of the 'event' races F1 wanted to promote and like it or not, it has succeeded with numbers around this race telling their own story. The atmosphere here in the general admission – campus – area of the increasingly popular and affordable tickets away from the high-end hospitality which dominates all the media, is one of unadulterated enjoyment, shot through with the glorious absence of world-weary cynicism. There is an air of, whisper it, hedonism; not all racing must be accompanied by sombre beard-scratching from a grassy bank in the rain. This atmosphere is not least informed by the make up of the audience. From information from sales, admittedly with the caveat that the data refers only to the purchaser rather than all the ticket holders, Miami is reaching demographics every sport eyes with lustful ambition. 'We've got the high end luxury buyer that we've really cultivated a relationship with and built their trust,' says Tyler Epp, the Miami GP president. 'But at the same time, we've got some of our entry level motorsport fan data that's telling us we're also a motorsport event for the people who are intrigued and interested and just want to come and see the cars for the first time.' It is these new fans that have led a push for the new single-day tickets and the three-day campus tickets. It is also, most significantly, a young audience. 'The base is growing most aggressively from what we've seen in the 20- and 30-year-old buyer,' Epp adds. 'Our data does not tell us that this is an audience of 30 to 60-year-old white men, that's not what we're seeing now. Certainly they're here but it's a much more eclectic diverse group than that and part of that's partially because we're in Miami, which is such a wonderfully diverse market.' Their data is corroborated trackside in both age and ethnic diversity, while the gender differential is also notable, with the race easing toward what might be a 50-50 split in forthcoming years. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion 'We're tracking about 40% female to 60% male right now,' he says. 'That's on the buyer data and I can also say that the female audience is certainly younger than the male audience. It skews younger.' These are the demographics the sport needs to build on the success it has enjoyed in the US with Drive to Survive and for all that the sound and fury of Las Vegas might have appeared to have outshone Miami of late it is undeniable that the race at the Hard Rock Stadium is pulling in the numbers. Last year when McLaren's Lando Norris won his first F1 race here it drew record viewing figures for the US of 3.1m and Miami now holds the top three live US TV audiences in F1 history. While the season as a whole was pulling in an average of 1.11m per race. Which, while still small in comparison to NFL and NBA, are considered strong numbers as the sport builds its presence. Epp is in good position to judge how the sport fares in comparative terms. He has worked both trackside and team side in Nascar, IndyCar and sports cars before moving into baseball for four and a half years and then putting in almost nine years with the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL; he is convinced the future remains bright. 'We can be very bullish about Formula One in the United States,' he said. 'I view it as solidified, here to stay and looking at continuous growth, not necessarily ebbs and flows. I think the United States sports ecosystem in general ebbs and flows a bit with competitiveness and competition in particular markets but as a whole we feel really, really good about the state of Formula One.'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Welcome to Miami, where F1's sunshine party draws a crowd every sport craves
With a sell out once more expected, this weekend's Miami Grand Prix is building on an appeal to a younger, diverse audience that is a key part of Formula One's burgeoning success in the US. Making its mark on the calendar with a grand, spectacular party in the Florida sunshine since the inaugural race in 2022, Miami is considered something of a showcase. The opening blast of the three meetings now held in the US is a shop window for the sport with three teams, Racing Bulls, Sauber and Ferrari boasting special liveries for the event this weekend. The flamingo pink of the RB is very much making a splash but the clunky corporate blue addition to the Scuderia's scarlet has fallen very flat with fans. Advertisement Related: FIA president hints at climbdown amid F1 driver standoff over swearing fines Naysayers may have disliked Miami's emphasis on being a show, of presenting a weekend of entertainment where the food and beverages (or F&B as it is bafflingly, for the uninitiated, referred to here) were as fundamental as the racing. Where the atmosphere went hand in hand with the competition. It was perhaps the first of the 'event' races F1 wanted to promote and like it or not, it has succeeded with numbers around this race telling their own story. The atmosphere here in the general admission – campus – area of the increasingly popular and affordable tickets away from the high-end hospitality which dominates all the media, is one of unadulterated enjoyment, shot through with the glorious absence of world-weary cynicism. There is an air of, whisper it, hedonism; not all racing must be accompanied by sombre beard-scratching from a grassy bank in the rain. This atmosphere is not least informed by the make up of the audience. From information from sales, admittedly with the caveat that the data refers only to the purchaser rather than all the ticket holders, Miami is reaching demographics every sport eyes with lustful ambition. Advertisement 'We've got the high end luxury buyer that we've really cultivated a relationship with and built their trust,' says Tyler Epp, the Miami GP president. 'But at the same time, we've got some of our entry level motorsport fan data that's telling us we're also a motorsport event for the people who are intrigued and interested and just want to come and see the cars for the first time.' It is these new fans that have led a push for the new single-day tickets and the three-day campus tickets. It is also, most significantly, a young audience. 'The base is growing most aggressively from what we've seen in the 20- and 30-year-old buyer,' Epp adds. 'Our data does not tell us that this is an audience of 30 to 60-year-old white men, that's not what we're seeing now. Certainly they're here but it's a much more eclectic diverse group than that and part of that's partially because we're in Miami, which is such a wonderfully diverse market.' Their data is corroborated trackside in both age and ethnic diversity, while the gender differential is also notable, with the race easing toward what might be a 50-50 split in forthcoming years. Advertisement 'We're tracking about 40% female to 60% male right now,' he says. 'That's on the buyer data and I can also say that the female audience is certainly younger than the male audience. It skews younger.' These are the demographics the sport needs to build on the success it has enjoyed in the US with Drive to Survive and for all that the sound and fury of Las Vegas might have appeared to have outshone Miami of late it is undeniable that the race at the Hard Rock Stadium is pulling in the numbers. Last year when McLaren's Lando Norris won his first F1 race here it drew record viewing figures for the US of 3.1m and Miami now holds the top three live US TV audiences in F1 history. While the season as a whole was pulling in an average of 1.11m per race. Which, while still small in comparison to NFL and NBA, are considered strong numbers as the sport builds its presence. Epp is in good position to judge how the sport fares in comparative terms. He has worked both trackside and team side in Nascar, IndyCar and sports cars before moving into baseball for four and a half years and then putting in almost nine years with the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL; he is convinced the future remains bright. 'We can be very bullish about Formula One in the United States,' he said. 'I view it as solidified, here to stay and looking at continuous growth, not necessarily ebbs and flows. I think the United States sports ecosystem in general ebbs and flows a bit with competitiveness and competition in particular markets but as a whole we feel really, really good about the state of Formula One.'
New York Times
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
F1 Miami GP track breakdown: Inside the NFL stadium circuit with a South Beach feel
Every Formula One race has its own identity. And many circuits have their 'thing' – some widely known feature you won't find anywhere else. Monaco is known for the Nouvelle Chicane, Turns 10 and 11 right in front of the port, while Spa features Eau Rouge, one of F1's most notorious corners. Then, fans come to Miami, which starkly contrasts with the Americanism of the stars and stripes at Austin's Circuit of the Americas. Advertisement When first developing this GP, race organizers hoped to run the track in downtown Miami, an oceanside answer to Monaco's famed layout. That didn't work out, so we've got a track built around the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins. But building the Miami International Autodrome a dozen miles from South Beach didn't keep race organizers from importing bits of color that offer that 'Miami feel.' And so we've got the fake marina and vibrant aqua color reminiscent of the Dolphins. 'We have been very committed to, from the beginning, the brand of Miami,' Miami Grand Prix president Tyler Epp said in 2023. 'We're going to create Miami as the lens for which people are viewing the race.' Here's what you need to know about the F1 circuit built around an NFL stadium in the Sunshine State. Miami's temporary track was selected from more than 30 proposed layouts but received mixed reviews during its inaugural season in 2022. Most drivers criticized the track surface, and some were unimpressed by various points. The circuit has the same layout as previous seasons, with just a few tweaks here and there in 2024 that included a much-needed resurfacing. Here are a few key points that fans should keep an eye on. Turns 13 to 16 (A) Daniel Ricciardo described this chicane as 'a little too Mickey Mouse' in 2022, which tells you all you need to know about it. It's slow and narrow as the cars file under the turnpike. (Regulations put a speed limit around overhead features, which is why the chicane exists.) Last year, Max Verstappen struck a bollard in this section. Turn 16 to 17 (B) At the end of the long straight, drivers face another prime overtaking spot with the tight left-hander of Turn 17, which is right near the Dolphins' practice fields. It's key to remember that there were only 45 overtakes throughout the 2022 Miami Grand Prix and 41 in 2024. Advertisement Turn 11 (C) This is a braking zone before hitting the accelerator into Turn 12. The left-hander is poised to be a good overtaking spot and a potential litmus test for one issue sucking up oxygen ahead of this race: just how possible it is to pass. Turns 6-7-8 (D) This sequence is right in front of the MIA Marina (aka faux marina, which has some actual water now). Pierre Gasly, who describes himself as 'the type of guy to like Miami,' said he enjoyed the fast nature of this sequence. But this portion came into the spotlight in 2022 when Gasly and Lando Norris collided as the Frenchman went around the outside of the McLaren during Turn 8. It ended both of their races as Norris spun and Gasly retired a few laps later. The track was resurfaced after drivers slammed it in 2022 for offering poor grip and even breaking up at points. Former Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez called the surface 'a joke,' and Fernando Alonso derided it as 'not F1 standard.' Epp said they 'really leaned on our partners at Tilke to make sure that we're doing this properly.' On the lighter side, the faux marina now features a couple of pools with actual water. Also, a few safety tweaks were made after conversations with the drivers' council, F1, and the FIA, notably around Turns 13 through 16, which take drivers under the turnpike. That's where Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon crashed during practice sessions in 2022, each hitting a stretch of wall that wasn't protected by the force-absorbing Tecpro barriers. After hitting the concrete with 51Gs of force, Ocon called the setup 'unacceptable.' The track also featured a rumble strip on the left for Turn 14, and the apex of Turn 15 was a bit elongated, both of which should help drivers navigate the section. Ahead of the 2023 race, two DRS zones were shortened in Miami. But the drivers didn't seem to get why, especially given the low number of overtakes during the 2022 race. Advertisement 'I think all of us didn't really understand why they've been shortened. None of us were consulted about it or asked our opinion on it, and I think the race speaks for itself in Baku,' Mercedes' George Russell said in 2023. 'DRS is there to aid overtaking, and it's always exciting when you've got these big DRS advantages, and it gives you the opportunity to fight, and clearly, in Baku, it was way too short.' Ferrari's Charles Leclerc agreed. 'I think with the cars that we have at the moment, it's still quite difficult to follow,' he said. 'Hopefully, in the future races, we won't shorten them.' (Track video courtesy of EA Sports F1 — learn more about 'F1 25″ here.) (Graphics: Drew Jordan/The Athletic. Lead image: Cristiano Barni ATP Images, Dan Isitene – Formula 1 via Getty Images; Design: Drew Jordan/The Athletic)
