Behind the Finish Line: The Hidden Infrastructure Needs of an F1 Race

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average U.S. household uses approximately 899 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per month, or about 1.2 kW of power. By comparison, the three-day FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2024 race consumed 32 megawatts (MW) of electricity from backup power supply sources alone, which is the equivalent of powering 26,000 U.S. homes simultaneously.

That places significant strain on the electricity grid, which must accommodate a massive increase in power needs – but also balance these short-term demands with the fact that they’ll only be temporary. It wouldn’t make sense, after all, to build a new power plant for just a three-day event. The race still needs power, though, to ensure a successful event for the drivers, their teams, hundreds of thousands of spectators, and millions watching at home. How does such a large-scale, high-powered event fulfill its 24/7 energy needs?

Temporary, modular power solutions combined with engineered high-efficiency technology can generate power independent of the grid when needed, so venues can draw from available grid power but revert to modular power should peak demand outstrip grid supply. These types of energy solutions ensure that events like a Formula 1 race have the dependable sources of power they need to operate smoothly and keep fans comfortable.

Getting powered up

South Florida Motorsports (SFM) hosted the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2024 at the Miami International Autodrome, with over 275,000 people in attendance over the course of the race weekend. Not only did SFM depend on reliable energy for race operations supporting 20 drivers and their teams, but also for event facilities serving the attendees and keeping them cool in the Miami heat.

The race circuit and event space spanned 160 acres, with over 18 hospitality structures, 200 food and beverage stations, retail sales facilities, catering kitchens, and garages all needing power. Beyond the hospitality and attendee support facilities, the race’s typical power needs for track lighting, pit crew power tools, and team communications equipment required consistent, reliable energy sources. With each F1 team consisting of roughly 75 people, not including the two drivers per team, nearly 750 people depended on uninterrupted power for race-specific operations to keep things moving.

On top of the hundreds of thousands of fans attending the race in-person, over three million additional viewers tuned in from home to enjoy the race weekend. SFM’s mission was to ensure that every spectator, whether attending in-person or remotely, enjoyed an exciting, memorable experience. The FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2024 aired live on ABC, meaning consistent power was also needed for the cameras and news crews covering the event for the millions of viewers watching at home.

Using Tier 4 Final generators paired with transformers from its temporary power solutions provider, SFM was able to have peace of mind with efficient, reliable standby power available should it be needed in the event of a grid failure. Over one hundred miles of cable was used to link the entire energy solution together and keep everything running smoothly. Having the high-efficiency generators on site enabled SFM to power the event with confidence, knowing that the installed temporary power solutions would be capable of powering the race if grid power was interrupted.

Powering up to cool down

In addition to providing a redundant power supply, the event’s energy solutions partner provided cooling technologies throughout the facilities. Over the span of the race weekend, the air conditioners, air handlers, and chillers installed for the event provided 2,768 tons of cooling power. With the average U.S. residential air conditioner providing three to five tons of cooling capacity, which amount of cooling power is capable of cooling up to 900 homes.

Beyond the race events of the weekend, there were several high-profile concerts by renowned artists. It was imperative that the cooling systems work to keep the audience members, top-tier performers, and essential equipment functional.

Crossing the finish line

With the turn-key modular power and temporary air conditioning units, SFM was able to focus on staging a memorable event and the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2024 was a success. Not only that, but the event also operated with lower fuel costs and reduced emissions overall.

The Tier 4 Final generators provided a low-emissions energy solution for the event, reducing particulate matter by 63 percent, carbon monoxide by 66 percent and nitrogen oxides by 64 percent in comparison to other generator options. By being in compliance with the EPA’s stringent emissions standards, the generators and other temporary power solutions utilized for the race weekend resulted in up to 66 percent in emissions savings for SFM overall. The lower emissions made possible with the more environmentally friendly technologies also ensured the event aligned with Formula 1’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint at its races.

By leveraging high-efficiency power generation technologies implemented via a robust, well-designed energy and cooling system, the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2024 was able to deliver an unforgettable event with comfortable, uninterrupted operations for the entire race weekend. Temporary power solutions, when applied properly, offer a flexible solution for large-scale events that could otherwise strain local energy sources. Modular power applications enable smooth, worry-free operations regardless of where supplemental energy is needed.