AP

Formula One unveils its must-see show at Miami Grand Prix

May 6, 2022, 1:53 AM | Updated: 4:24 pm

McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll of Canada drive a...

McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll of Canada drive around the circuit during the second practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)


              McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll of Canada drive around the circuit during the second practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
            
              Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands speaks to a crew member ahead of the first practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
            
              McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo of Australia gets out of his car following the first practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
            
              Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain pulls out of his team's garage during the first practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
            
              Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain speaks to his personal assistant while waiting for the start of the second practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
            
              Crew members install a nose on Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain's car before the second practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
            
              Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco drives his car during the second practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
            
              Red Bull driver Sergio Perez of Mexico spins out during the second practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
            
              Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain sits in his car during the second practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
            
              Spectators watch as Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco drives around the circuit during the second practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
            
              Spectators watch from boats installed in simulated water during the second practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
            
              Williams driver Alexander Albon of Thailand makes his way around the circuit during the second practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
            
              Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco speaks with Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto following the first practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
            
              Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco waits in his car for the start of the first practice session for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — DJ’s spinning at the beach. Drinks flowing in the marina. Celebrities roaming the grounds in the shadow of an NFL stadium with fans nearby trying to catch a glimpse of some real Netflix stars.

Formula One, the sleek, wealthy globetrotting series that has exploded in popularity in North America, formally opened its three-day Miami Grand Prix on Friday with a must-be-there vibe and the promise of more to come. There are two F1 events in the U.S. for the first time since 1984.

Promoters wanted this event even before F1’s popularity soared behind “Drive To Survive,” the wildly popular Netflix series that has made F1 the hottest property in motorsports.

The enthusiastic reception on a hot, humid day in South Florida didn’t surprise seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who is credited for “manifesting” this event in 2017 when he chose Miami as his dream destination for a new race when American company Liberty Media bought the series.

“I think (it’s) perhaps more a cultural thing here in the States,” Hamilton said. “It’s the NBA. It’s NASCAR, IndyCar and in my 16 years coming over here, it’s been such a slow build, trying to bring awareness to the sport. The Americans have to wake up at odd times in order to watch grand prix.

“But I think the new step that’s been taken into bringing awareness, you know, the Netflix show, it’s really brought in that amazing fanbase,” Hamilton said. “And now maybe it’s time to start focusing on how we can include more people here because it’s such a diverse country.”

F1 will have three races in the U.S. in 2023 when a November night race is added to the calendar on the Las Vegas Strip.

For now, Americans can watch this championship battle between Ferrari and reigning world champion Max Verstappen on Sunday and then in October at Circuit of the Americas, the Texas track that brought F1 back to the U.S. in 2012 after a four-year hiatus.

The Miami race is the fifth of 22 races — a 23rd event in Sochi was canceled after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and hasn’t been replaced — and so far its been a battle between Ferrari and Red Bull.

Championship leader Charles Leclerc was fastest in first practice and George Russell gave Mercedes a massive boost by pacing the second session.

Leclerc covered the 19-turn, 3.36-mile circuit (5.41 kilometers) in 1 minute, 31:098 seconds in his Ferrari earlier Friday, when Russell was second fastest for Mercedes. Verstappen was third and followed by Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. Verstappen and Perez are second and third in the standings behind Leclerc.

In the afternoon practice, it was Russell ahead of Leclerc, while Perez was third and Hamilton a much-improved fourth after he was eighth in the early session. Hamilton and Verstappen battled to the finale in last year’s championship but Mercedes has been slow out of the gate and team principal Toto Wolff apologized to Hamilton two weeks ago for giving him an “undrivable” car. Hamilton had finished 13th, while Russell was fourth at Imola.

Russell said “it’s too early” to know if upgrades to the Mercedes ahead of Miami have helped him and Hamilton.

“We don’t really understand it, to be honest, why we hit the ground running,” Russell said. “We always knew ahead of this weekend that the conditions should suit us better. This is the first real hot race of the season, so that’s been a factor, but the car is working well and it’s only Friday so we’re not getting too carried away.”

Verstappen and Leclerc, meanwhile, have split the first four races with two wins each as Ferrari has been incredible since it debuted its new car built under the 2022 regulations.

Hamilton showed up at the track wearing all the jewelry he could find in protest of the FIA’s crackdown on body piercings and bling during competition. The governing body for F1 says the jewelry is a safety hazard, but Hamilton said he cannot remove his piercings and was willing to miss the race.

He ultimately submitted a document to the FIA that said he’d removed everything he could ahead of first practice and was granted a temporary waiver on his nose piercing.

___

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Formula One unveils its must-see show at Miami Grand Prix