The Formula One Miami Grand Prix will rival the Super Bowl as American motor sport fans prepare to flock to Florida for the sport’s much-hyped arrival.
McLaren boss Zak Brown has said that the race has generated more interest and excitement than any he has been a part of over the last 20 years.
F1 heads to Miami for the fifth race of the season on May 8 with the purpose-built Miami International Autodrome on the grounds of the Hard Rock Stadium, which hosted the NFL finale in 2020.
“It's going to be awesome,” Brown told Reuters.
“I've been here six years and I've never seen demand or buzz for a grand prix like I've seen for Miami.
“We can easily double our hospitality and we're already the largest hospitality buyer in Miami... it rivals the Super Bowl as far as ‘are you going to the Miami race?’.
“I've been around F1 for 20 years and I'm used to going to grands prix but I've never seen anything like it.”
Los Angeles-native Brown has shrugged off the failed legal challenge to F1 hosting next month’s race as a “welcome to America” moment.
Instead, he is confident that the glitz and glamour of the Super Bowl will translate to the sport as it continues its drive to crack the United States market.
He added: “Having been around the Super Bowl, where there's the football game and then there's the half-time celebs and shows, this feels like the Super Bowl.”
