MANAGING THE SECURITY AT FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2022

I was asked to participate in the inaugural F1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix at the Hard Rock Stadium Campus in Miami Gardens, Florida, during the week of May 2nd. It was a unique opportunity and experience. My role was to manage the security and work with the other services (food and beverage, housekeeping, guest services, etc.) in the two high-wealth clubs on the Campus.

I have worked nine consecutive Super Bowls, and I found this event similar to a Super Bowl. They both have large campuses, high-priced tickets, many celebrities, and avid fans, and they both provide a substantial economic impact to the regions in which they are hosted.

The planning for the Grand Prix began in April 2021 when the ten-year deal to host the race was announced. A Formula 1 race has been hosted at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, since 2012, except for 2020. Additionally, it was recently announced that Las Vegas will host a Formula 1 race in 2023. Formula 1 racing has become very popular in the United States due to the “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” documentary series on Netflix. Constructing the temporary campus for the race was very expensive (estimated to be over $100 million). All the seating and hospitality areas were temporary, except for a couple of spaces in Hard Rock Stadium.

The temporary Campus and racetrack construction began after the end of the Miami Dolphins season. The event’s capacity was initially 65,000 attendees, but the tickets sold out quickly, and an additional 20,000 tickets were sold. In addition to the attendees, there were 15,000 employees involved in constructing the Campus and racecourse and working the events during race week.

The Hard Rock Stadium parking lots and local roadways were used for the 3.36-mile Miami International Autodrome. The course had 19 corners and three straights, and the top speed was 199 miles per hour. I was impressed with the physical fitness of the drivers. An interesting note is that the drivers work on strengthening their neck muscles to endure the transverse gravitational force in the high-speed turns.

The events for race week began on Wednesday with the introduction of the drivers and an outdoor concert. After that, the drivers had practice runs and the timed runs for positioning on race day on Friday and Saturday. There was also a Women’s Series (W Series) Race, and the Porsche Sprint Challenge practice runs with their respective races before the F1 race on Sunday. Many federal, state, and local agencies supported the events at the Miami International Autodrome, and overall, I thought event week was very well planned and carried out. However, that is not to say that improvements can’t be made.

I had the pleasure of working with a professional third-party vendor who supplied the workforce for the security efforts in the area I managed. We briefed every day before the gates opened, and I told them that everyone was responsible for safety and security, guest services, and cleanliness. In addition, I made sure to visit the staff often so I could observe them, they could see me, and we could speak about how I could make their jobs easier so they could better serve the attendees. It was also essential to ensure they got their breaks and hydrated since the temperatures were in the nineties. The staff provided great feedback, and we became a well-oiled machine by race day.

I have held many leadership positions throughout my military career and civilian employment, and I believe in including stakeholders in the decision-making process, including those individuals who are “boots on the ground.” To successfully complete a task takes hard work and attention to detail. The staff earned my trust, and they did not let their fellow team members or me, and most importantly, the attendees of the event, down. I was very proud of their effort and performance. They made a difference.

It was a great experience to work on an inaugural event of this magnitude. Although I have thirty-five years of experience in the sports and entertainment facilities and event industry, I love to learn. The Grand Prix allowed me to expand my knowledge about managing and executing large-scale open-air events.

I am already looking forward to the next F1 Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome. If you have never attended an F1 race, you need to put it on your bucket list. You will not be disappointed.

I wish you and your loved ones a safe and enjoyable summer.

All the best.

Posted March 15, 2022