F1 2022 Miami preview: Is the ‘fake marina’ circuit good?

The F1 2022 Miami circuit has arrived. Here is what the layout is like turn-by-turn in the latest game – fake boat-filled marina and all.

Hello and welcome to (F1 2022) Miami! If you are wondering why YouTube is covered with F1 2022 game coverage, well, that is because press, influencers and rule-abiding race directors have been playing a stripped-down pre-release date preview version.

This particular video is all about the new F1 2022 Miami circuit because that is all we are allowed to talk about before our first impressions can be posted a few days later. Even with the filming restrictions, at least you get to see the new cars in action and the circuit layout.

Gameplay is from the PC version on Steam – have a look here for my full PC setup. Highlights include an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU, ASUS RTX 3080 GPU and 32GB of 3,200MHz RAM. And most importantly, RGB lighting for enhanced performance.

F1 2022 Miami preview: The lap

The Miami circuit, one of 23 races this year, is located at the Miami International Autodrome in Florida of the US. Yes, that includes the fake marina and its vast expanse of open water, which has become a meme and will probably continue to be over the 10-year deal. But, no, Will Smith does not sing the theme song.

I have done quite a few laps of Miami in the F1 2022 preview despite what my driving says on screen. In short, I rather like it but it is not as memorable as others on the calendar.

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The first corner comes after a long straight and involves a tight right-hander where everyone bunches up. This can be a bit of a brown trouser moment if you are not careful, particularly at the start of a race.

Then we get the hammer down and line up as best as possible for a fast left-hander. But not too fast because then you will be too deep for the second equally fast right-hander. Putting power down is tough here, however it is necessary for the subsequent straight.

At this point it is time to drop the anchor and turn left without clipping the wall. Avoid straightening up too fast as the next corner is speedy but needs commitment best served from a wider angle. Especially as the following left is similar in nature.

The next corner goes on for a while here. There is potential for overtaking if you are brave because it is quite wide and the natural line sends you out to the right. Ahead of what is basically an L-shape left.

Blazing a trail

It feels like trail-braking works well here. Get as wide as you can to maximise the exit. Or do a Verstappen and take an aggressive inside line before burying the accelerator for a very long series of straights interspersed with gentle lefts and rights. Slipstreaming will be your friend if possible.

Head over to the right eventually for a tight V-corner but keep the throttle reigned in. The following right is best served without too much pace and constant throttle. Too much and you will be too deep for the following left.

Keep the power on as long as you can before straightening up for an unforgiving left then right. The elevation change here makes kerb visibility poor, depending on the view you have chosen, so it is key that you steer in enough. Otherwise you will find yourself clipping the grass/kerb.

This tight slow section, lined with unforgiving concrete barriers, ends with another tight left before a long straight. So get back over to the right as fast as you can and take a tight slow line so you can get the power on sooner.

Now just enjoy the straight, slipstream if you can and overtake where possible. Or enjoy the palm trees whizzing by – up to you. Brave drivers could sneak up the middle or left, however this corner is best served with a wide line from the right and hard braking from 200mph.

And now we are on the final couple of hurdles. A gentle left then an even gentler right that look easy yet maximising pace can be tricky after such a slow previous corner.

The new F1 cars are a bit oversteery by default so let the throttle out gently as you head towards the final straight. Be ready to countersteer if necessary and then rinse and repeat until the win is yours or an illegal safety car is deployed by the FIA. Whichever comes sooner.

So will it be a good race?

Honestly, tracks with fast bends are some of my favourites and Miami balances these nicely with some technically challenging sections to keep you on your toes. Just be careful not to go outside of the track limit when trying to cut off a few tenths.

In the wet and the F1 2022 Miami circuit becomes especially tricky – cars in the preview change direction without hesitation but the rear wheels like to keep turning long after the front. Careful steering and acceleration appears especially useful in this game.

As you may have noticed, I mainly used a controller for this video. I would say though that a steering wheel will come into its own for many of the longer corners where a precise and constant line will help you avoid losing speed unnecessarily.

So there you have it, Miami in F1 2022. Will it be a procession like many other F1 races or is it going to smack any criticism out of your mouth? Let me know in the comments. Subscribe and like. My F1 2022 first impressions are coming soon.