Hamilton wants to help design Miami GP F1 circuit

Lewis Hamilton has offered to help improve the initial circuit layout for the proposed Formula 1 grand prix in Miami after voicing his criticism over the design.

F1 is hopeful of adding a second US round to the calendar for next season after the Miami City Commission approved plans for a race - which could be staged as early as October 2019 - on Thursday.

Hamilton took to Instagram to announce his delight after initial plans were announced but expressed concerns after the first images of the proposed track layout - incorporating elements of downtown Miami previously used for IMSA, CART and Formula E events - were revealed. 

“All the great golfers designing golf courses, we’ve not got any of the top racing drivers in history, they’ve never designed a race track. Not that we are designers or anything but our input,” the Briton told reporters in the build up to this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. 

“Miami is a super cool place and I was very, very excited about it, and then I saw the layout. It could be a lot more fun. You’ve got two of the longest straights but maybe when we drive it it could be fun. I dread the thought of a street circuit like we had with Valencia, that wasn’t a great street circuit. It can be a hit or miss, but maybe it’s a hit. 

“I don’t want to make an assumption before we’ve even driven it,” he added. “But I”m sure as drivers we can give an insight into it and I know Miami quite well. There’s a few better locations to put the track for example.”

McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne also raised doubts over the circuit proposal and suggested improvements could be made.

“I don’t know about the track layout, I’ve have seen the proposal, I can’t really visually imagine where it is exactly or how it’ll look like, but looking at the shape of it it doesn’t look very attractive so far. Maybe something we could change there," Vandoorne said.

However, the suggested track layout received a positive verdict from Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas.

“I saw some initial layouts and it looks cool,” the Mercedes driver said. “Fingers crossed it’s going to happen - I think it will be good for Formula 1.”

Haas driver Romain Grosjean refrained from providing early judgements, adding that other “boring” looking circuits actually produce good racing. 

“It’s difficult," he said. "From a layout point of view, if you look at Bahrain let’s say, you could find it boring from a design point of view but actually when you race there the racing is amazing."