New lawsuit holds brakes on Miami GP

Feb.21 (GMM) The engines of Miami’s grand prix hopes continue to sputter.

Formula 1’s push to add a second US race to the calendar looked to have strengthened this week, when the Miami-Dade County Commission voted down a proposal.

The proposed legislation, put forward by Commissioner Barbara Jordan, would have made racing even inside the grounds of the Hard Rock Stadium illegal.

“We are glad to put this long delayed vote behind us so we can begin to make the multimillion dollar private investment required to bring a race here,” said Tom Garfinkel, boss of the stadium and the Miami Dolphins.

But as soon as that legislation was voted down, fierce opponent Jordan hit back by announcing the filing of a lawsuit to block the race in that way instead.

“This fight is not over,” she told the Miami Herald.

“Formula 1, I don’t think they want this kind of publicity. But they better get ready.”

The Miami broadcaster WPLG Local 10 said the plaintiffs in the lawsuit are homeowners associations and former Commissioner Betty Ferguson, who argue that F1 is “unreasonably loud”.

Their lawyer Sam Dubbin said there are no acoustical experts “who would say that decibel levels between 70 and 90 are reasonable” for a residential area.