A Florida-based conservative group called the Better Florida Alliance ran an ad in Friday's Miami Herald asking residents to oppose an F1 race there, according to a copy of the ad obtained by THE DAILY. The ad appears to not have been publicized in any separate article since its publication, but it calls in bold type for residents to “say no to Formula One closing Miami streets.” The Herald sent the ad to THE DAILY upon request after sources indicated that the creative had recently run, and the copy shows that it appeared on page 6A of Friday’s print edition. The ad goes on to say in part, “Elected officials and their corporate fat cat friends want to turn our taxpayer-funded streets into a racetrack. It will cost us all to subsidize big business closing city streets -- streets that are for our use, not for race cars. But what do we get?” The alliance has described itself in press releases online as a “conservative group dedicated to economic freedom, tough national security and strict Constitutional government.” While F1 has publicly stated in recent months that Miami is among multiple different cities it is exploring for a second U.S. grand prix, the timing of the ad is interesting, as sources only in recent weeks started indicating that F1 appeared particularly interested in a race there. F1 did not respond to a request for comment on a possible race in Miami by presstime. F1 hosted its current sole U.S. grand prix last weekend at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas.
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| Source: MIAMI HERALD |
