The prospect of hosting a Formula One race in Miami was discussed as early as October 2019, when Stephen Ross, owner of Hard Rock Stadium, published an initial circuit design following years of efforts to attract the series. Up to 75 circuit layouts were considered during the planning phase, and 36 of those were subjected to computer simulation before the final design was settled upon.
Organizers reached an agreement in principle to host a race from 2021, but the timeline slipped. Miami Gardens city commissioners initially voted against allowing the circuit to be built, a decision that was later reversed on April 14, 2021. The track was officially named the Miami International Autodrome on September 2, 2021, and the inaugural Miami Grand Prix was held in May 2022.
In September 2024, four new shortened layout configurations were introduced so the venue could host additional racing events throughout the calendar year, beyond the annual Formula One weekend. In March 2025 the circuit hosted the non-championship Formula E Evo Sessions, using a shortened MIA Loop configuration suited to the reduced range of the GEN3 Evo Formula E car; celebrities and sports personalities participated alongside current Formula E team drivers.
The Miami International Autodrome is routed entirely around the private grounds of Hard Rock Stadium, incorporating both newly laid asphalt pathways and existing roads that form part of the stadium's parking infrastructure. Because it does not use public streets as racing surface — although the layout does cross public roads at certain points — the venue is classified as a temporary circuit rather than a conventional permanent facility.
Each year, in the weeks before the race weekend, the circuit infrastructure including barriers, pit buildings, grandstands, and safety features is assembled from scratch. Once the event concludes, the entire installation is dismantled and the Hard Rock Stadium grounds revert to normal use.
The Formula One Miami Grand Prix in May is the circuit's headline event, accompanied in recent years by the FIA Formula 2 Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup North America, and McLaren Trophy America. From 2025, the Formula E Miami ePrix in January joined the programme on the MIA Loop layout.
Former events held at the circuit include the W Series and Porsche Sprint Challenge North America in 2022, Ferrari Challenge North America in 2025, and F1 Academy from 2024 to 2025.
The Miami International Autodrome represents an approach to integrating Formula One into dense urban environments without closing public streets, by routing the circuit entirely through private stadium grounds. Its construction around a major NFL venue gave Formula One a base combining American sporting culture with the global spectacle of grand prix racing. The circuit's expansion into a multi-layout facility reflects ambitions to generate year-round motorsport activity at the site rather than limit usage to the single Formula One weekend per season.
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