28/04/2025
NEWS STORY
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team is headed to the Sunshine State for Round 6 of the 2025 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, the Miami Grand Prix, at the Miami International Autodrome.
The Miami Grand Prix debuted in 2022 and takes place at the purpose-built Miami International Autodrome, which winds its way around the campus of the Hard Rock Stadium. It is home to the National Football League's Miami Dolphins, with Formula 1's permanent three-level pit building sitting in the shadow of the 65,000-seater structure. The 5.4km circuit features a range of low-, medium-, and high-speed corners, as well as tricky off-camber sections, and a couple of full-throttle sections where overtaking is possible. However, the infrequent use of the Miami International Autodrome means off-line grip can be at a premium, while the walls are ready to catch out any driver that errs.
For the second successive season the Miami Grand Prix will host the Sprint format, placing a greater emphasis on Friday's sole one-hour practice session prior to the business end of the weekend's track activities.
Esteban Ocon has contested all three grands prix in Miami and has taken points finishes on each occasion, peaking to date with eighth in the inaugural race in 2022, while for rookie Oliver Bearman he is prepped to tackle the Miami International Autodrome for the first time. MoneyGram Haas F1 Team enters the first of three American events in 2025 in sixth place in the Constructors' Championship, on 20 points.
Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal: "We've had a frantic start to the season, completing five races in six weekends, and we've already had a rollercoaster of a ride. Melbourne really exposed the weakness of the VF-25, but the team reacted incredibly well to bring an updated floor already for race three and score 20 points across three races. Every time we send the car out on the track, we're learning how to get the best out of the VF-25 and how to improve it. Esteban and Ollie have been instrumental in providing direction and working with the team every day, not to mention some of the incredible race drives they've produced already. On the back of all that, we're now coming to Miami, which is of course our first home race of the season. The Miami Grand Prix is an amazing event that certainly added a new dimension to Formula 1, and it's only getting better. We can't wait to get going in front of our home crowd and partners."
Ollie Bearman: "It's our second Sprint of the season, and it's going to be tough. It's my first time in Miami, and adding that to the fact it's a Sprint, it's going to be difficult, but I'm excited to drive there. The location is fantastic and it's a highlight of the calendar for sure, the stadium looks super cool, and it's the first home race of the season for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team - so it's going to be super busy and super fun!"
Esteban Ocon: "After a long triple-header it was good to take the time to properly debrief the last few weeks as a whole and for everyone to take a well-deserved break. I think overall we can be proud of how we have started the season as a team. Of course, we always want to do better, and we're still working hard on improving the car and understanding how to get the most performance out of it more consistently, and Miami will be another good test.
"It'll be great to be back in Miami, it's such a cool and vibrant city. Of course, this is the first of three home races for us this year as the only American team on the grid, so I'm very excited to experience that as a Haas driver for the first time. I've got good memories of the race here, such as 2022 when I managed to come back and finish in eighth after starting from the back. It's a nice track to drive with a combination of slow-speed technical sections and fast and flowing sequences, so it's a good challenge. It's another Sprint so we only have one practice session available to test and try different set-ups, so it'll be a case of getting up to speed as soon as possible. We're very much looking forward to getting our weekend started and we hope to put on a good show for all the passionate American fans."