Four weeks after the Miami Open tennis finals wrapped up and just seven weeks before the city welcomes seven matches of the FIFA World Cup, Hard Rock Stadium finds itself at the heart of the Formula 1 universe. This week the venue will host the opening race of the 2026 season’s revival, marking the first Grand Prix of the year after a four‑week hiatus for the sport. The Miami Grand Prix has quickly become one of the most high‑profile stops on the F1 calendar since its debut in 2022. While the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix in April did not alter the logistical plans for Miami’s fifth edition, the organizers are acutely aware that the spotlight is brighter than ever.
"We didn’t change a thing – our planning started in the summer of 2025 for the 2026 event and we’re exactly where we need to be," explained Katharina Nowak, president of the Miami GP, during a Sky Sports interview. "But the anticipation is definitely building. After four weeks without any racing, the buzz around Miami is palpable, and everyone in the industry is sending us signals that excitement is at a fever pitch. We respect the safety decisions that were made, but we’re ready to deliver an outstanding event." Since its addition to the calendar, Miami has cemented its place as the inaugural American venue in a trio of U.S.
races, followed by Austin and Las Vegas. Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, sits in Miami Gardens roughly 15 miles north of downtown. The stadium’s 65,000‑seat bowl transforms each year into a temporary F1 complex, with a 3.36‑mile, 19‑corner circuit that snakes around the outside of the football field. The conversion is a massive undertaking.
About 250 structures are erected for the weekend, ranging from grandstands and hospitality tents to pedestrian bridges and a permanent paddock building outside the stadium. Inside the arena, the field becomes a luxury hospitality hub for teams, while press conferences are held in the locker rooms. This rapid metamorphosis from a football and tennis venue to a world‑class motor‑sport arena has become a well‑honed process, and it now sits firmly on Miami’s diverse sporting calendar.
Nowak highlighted the "impossible" nature of the transformation, especially given that the race follows the Miami Open by only a month. The tennis tournament, which hosts both ATP and WTA events, concludes in late March, and within days the stadium floor is stripped, the grass is removed, and a temporary tennis court is installed.
"When the Dolphins season ends, we host the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 19.
Hours later we start ripping out the pitch, laying down flooring, bringing in cranes to build a stadium‑court for tennis, and simultaneously begin constructing the F1 campus," explained Todd Boyan, senior vice president of stadium operations for the Dolphins. "We then have about 250 structures – grandstands, hospitality suites, tents, bridges – to assemble in a matter of weeks.
After the Grand Prix, we flip again to prepare for the World Cup, with seven matches slated from June 15 onward. It’s a relentless, year‑round cycle of transformation." For 2026, the organizers have introduced a free five‑day fan festival on Miami Beach, with fan zones redesigned to showcase the city’s distinct neighborhoods, cuisine, and entertainment. Building on the controversy of a faux marina that sparked debate in the inaugural year, the 2026 event features a 50‑foot‑tall, 264‑foot‑long replica super‑yacht perched inside Turn Five‑Nine, offering an extravagant hospitality experience that reflects Miami’s maritime flair.
Attendance numbers underscore the event’s growing stature. The past two editions each attracted a record‑breaking 275,000 fans over the weekend. Moreover, a multi‑year agreement signed last year guarantees the race will remain on the calendar until at least 2041.
This long‑term security gives the Miami GP team the confidence to think big. "We’re already discussing how to turn this into the next Super Bowl of the United States, but on a global scale," said Nowak.
"Every year we add more programming so that visitors might arrive a week early and stay through Sunday, experiencing concerts, cultural events, and food festivals that turn the Grand Prix into a week‑long celebration." Nowak’s personal connection to the race adds another layer of significance. An Austrian‑born, Miami‑raised executive, 2026 marks her first year at the helm of an event she helped build from its inception.
At 28, she became the youngest president of an F1 Grand Prix and only the second woman to hold such a role, following Emily Paszer of the Las Vegas GP. "The past eight months have been a whirlwind," Nowak reflected. "I transitioned from vice‑president of business operations for the Dolphins to leading the GP, mentored by Tyler Epp, my predecessor.
I’m incredibly grateful to Tom Garfinkel and Stephen Ross for trusting a 28‑year‑old woman with this responsibility." Despite the whirlwind, Nowak admits she hasn’t yet taken time to celebrate. "People keep asking if I’ve celebrated this historic appointment. I tell them I’ll celebrate on May 4 after the race is over," she said with a smile. The Miami Grand Prix will also feature the season’s second Sprint race, returning to a Friday‑Saturday format that adds extra excitement for fans.
The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through NOW, offering viewers a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime experience. In summary, Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium is once again set to showcase the extraordinary logistical choreography required to switch from football to tennis to Formula 1 and soon after to the World Cup.
The city’s commitment to expanding the Grand Prix experience, coupled with a long‑term contract and ambitious plans to elevate the race to a Super Bowl‑level spectacle, ensures that the Miami GP will remain a marquee event on the global motorsport calendar for years to come.