The Calm Before the Storm | Hitting the Apex

Formula 1 Thursdays are a bit odd. The track is ready. The teams are setting up. Everyone has arrived.

And yet, no cars have been driven competitively.

It’s the proverbial calm before the storm.

But for media, it’s actually the best chance to see the track, see the pit lane, and see everything that has gone into putting on a complex sporting event.

I will admit it is a bit strange to pull up to Hard Rock Stadium for this, the definition of worlds colliding.

Entering the grounds I immediately walked the wrong way, missed the entrance to the Media Center, and am pretty sure almost entered the Race Director’s booth. I’ve never been so much at home (in Miami, at the home of the Canes) and yet so out of my element.

Seeing the paddocks emblazoned with the famous names of Mercedes AMG, Red Bull, Ferrari, and, of course, McLaren, is like being in Formula 1 Fantasy Camp. But I suppress the urge to geek out and head into the Media Center, which is behind the Paddock.

A lot of different languages are being spoken, a lot people that know each other. I know no one. Foreigner at home, how Miami of me.

I take my seat in front of a series of screens where you can see the track, the FIA messages, and the timing screen, as well as the race itself. This will be my “home base.” First adjustment: the temperatures are in Celsius. Somehow, 54.4 degrees Celsius for the track temperature seems a lot more palatable than the 129.92 degrees Fahrenheit that translates to.

The Workshop & Track Tour

This is where the Pirelli meets the asphalt.

For a Miami Hurricanes’ fan to be escorted through the bowels of Hard Rock Stadium in and of itself is a treat.

But to then be whisked into the familiar Press Briefing Room was a level of surreality that was hard to fathom. If you’ve ever seen a Formula 1 press conference, you’ll know the scene, with the black curtain, the make shift podiums. But it still doesn’t prepare you for being in the room.

The other thing that struck me was the kindness of everyone that I encountered, both in the press, and even more so from those working for the FIA. After getting a brief introduction from Jason Jenkins of the Dolphins and a brief overview of F1’s history and this year’s driver’s lineup (for the uninitiated), we met Egbert Thamm. It was Egbert’s birthday and his 40th year working with Formula 1. To mark the occasion, Jason Jenkins presented him with a cake, from Publix, of course. Sometimes, you have to Miami.

I fully expected to get an earful about rules, regulations, and what we can’t do.

Instead, Egbert was warm and was focused on making sure we had a good experience. He openly said there are not a lot of regulations other than the safety ones (don’t try to enter the Pit Lane, don’t hop fences, etc.)

It was at this point that I realized how remarkable the people are that put an event like this together. Egbert has been in rooms like this thousands of times, and it must be easy to take it for granted. And yet he was engaging. Everyone we encountered was.

Before we knew it the workshop was over and we were whisked away to the highlight of the day, the track tour. We were driven in vans, and allowed to get out at several stops while the press officer gave us facts about the asphalt and potential graining, as well as answering questions about where photographers can shoot from, and how to avoid blocking TV cameras. There is so much planning and logistics that go into an event like this, and the fact that it comes across so seamlessly on TV is astounding.

Finally, we headed back to the paddock, where we were dropped off, ending the tour, and my “work” for the day.

What European Snobbery?

One of the interesting things about taking the track tour with fellow journalists and photographers is realizing how much time some of them have dedicated to the sport and importantly, how appreciative they were to be in Miami at this venue. Sometimes, we lose sight of the fact that people online are putting on a show. I fully expected to be inundated with churlish conceit. Instead, I traded stories about my local knowledge and the stadium (fortuitously, we’re at the home of the Canes) and received in trade stories about past experiences covering Formula 1.

Not a single critical word was said. Okay, that’s not entirely true. The water-less marina (we’re supposed to call it a “dry dock”) did get a few comments. But overall, the track received rave reviews ranging from “I can’t believe this is a car park” to “it’s a shame this isn’t permanent.”

It reminded me just how different the basement dwellers who get on Twitter Spaces and inundate the YouTube comments’ sections are from those that actually experience things and don’t take anything for granted. As the praise rolled in for our city, I took a sense of pride in it. This is just the beginning of the weekend as it hasn’t even really started yet. But you could sense that this was going to be a rousing success and when the circus eventually leaves town, it will build a platform from which to expand the reach of Formula 1 in Miami.

As my day wound down, I wandered the Paddock, taking photos, just basking in the glory of what we can accomplish in Miami. To the right, lay Hard Rock Stadium, which hosts Super Bowls. To the left, the garages for Formula 1 teams.

Miami, what a place. And after today’s calm, tomorrow, the storm will arrive in all its uproarious glory. Miami will be ready.

Vishnu Parasuraman is a contributor for @FiveReasonsSports. He covers the Miami Hurricanes  for Sixth Ring Canes and Formula 1 for Hitting the Apex. You can follow him on twitter @vrp2003