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Miami F1 Circuit Designer Makes Sound Statement Amidst Harsh Criticisms From Drivers – “You’ve Got to Remind Yourself…”

Published 05/15/2022, 3:51 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The craziness of the F1 Miami Grand Prix weekend is over! But there are still a lot of questions to be answered regarding the track, the safety aspect, and the spectacle it put on. Many F1 drivers questioned the surface of the track and called it undrivable.

The track surface was breaking up from the heat during the race, which meant that there was only one line for racing. Almost everyone was unhappy with this fact and suggested making changes to the track surface.

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Miami circuit designer Clive Bowen mentioned it embarrassed him after hearing so many complaints regarding the track surface. But he defended himself and the surface by mentioning the examples of COTA and Singapore.

F1 Miami GP track designer compares the track surface to COTA and Singapore

Bowen revealed that there were a lot of questions over the track surface of COTA and Singapore when they were resurfaced as well. He also mentioned that he took all the complaints to heart, as there was a lot of research that went into making the track good for racing.

“There was a lot of research undertaken. We didn’t go off-piste, it was conventional thinking, it was conventional engineering. And you’ve got to remind yourself that first races at venues often have this happen,” Bowen told Motorsport.

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via Reuters

“It was the same at COTA, it was the same as Singapore, it was the same at Istanbul when it was resurfaced. And so if you think of it from that perspective, it’s just a question of waiting for the track to mature. It’s a brand new piece of asphalt, and it needs to do its thing,” said the track designer.

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It is unusual to see a track surface breaking up during an ongoing race. But there need to be some changes made, so that it is not a safety hazard for the drivers. It is also interesting how Bowen has compared the track surface to COTA, Singapore, and Turkey, as they all have differing problems.

COTA and Singapore have a very bumpy track surface, while Turkey was a slippery track surface. The track surface in Miami was breaking up during the race, which is highly unusual. Let’s see if there are any changes next season.

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Written by:

Devang Chauhan

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Devang Chauhan is an F1 author at EssentiallySports. Having completed his graduation in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has a keen eye for writing engaging and detailed articles on F1. Previously a writer for Sports Social's 'Chase Your Sport' Magazine, Devang has been an ardent follower of the sport for over a decade and has attended two editions of the Indian Grand Prix.
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