Inter Miami winger, racing fanatic Lassiter hosts F1 driver
It is Speed Week in Miami, so it makes perfect sense that when the Miami Grand Prix and Inter Miami collaborated on a cross promotion, winger Ariel “Ari” Lassiter was the player chosen to show Formula One driver Esteban Ocon around the team’s training facility on Wednesday afternoon.
Lassiter is known for his blazing speed, as was his father, former MLS legend Roy Lassiter, and Ari happens to be a diehard F1 racing fan. His favorite driver is Lewis Hamilton, and he also likes to follow Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso.
“I’ve always been a fan, I watch from practice to qualifying to the whole race, I don’t miss a lap,” Lassiter said. “Whenever I can, I watch. I’m super excited that it’s here, and I’m sure the atmosphere will be great. I was in Austin last year and the atmosphere was great, so I can only imagine it here.”
As much as Lassiter would love to spend the weekend at Hard Rock Stadium watching races, he and his teammates will be focused on the Inter Miami road game Saturday against Charlotte FC (3:30 p.m., UniMas).
Inter Miami acquired Lassiter, 27, from the Houston Dynamo in the offseason in exchange for $100,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) — $50,000 in 2022 and $50,000 in 2023 — and additional payments if performance-based incentives are met. Turns out they got a bargain.
The Costa Rican international, who also holds United States citizenship, has become a regular in the starting lineup. His sprints up and down the right sideline, often pairing with speedy right back DeAndre Yedlin, give Miami a lethal weapon in the attack.
“Ariel has the ability to stretch teams with his quickness and pace, and looks to get behind to create scoring opportunities,” Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson said at the time of the signing. “He comes from a soccer family, brings good character to the club, and we believe he can be a good fit to our team.”
Speed is in the Lassiter family genes. His grandfather, Roy Lassiter Sr., was a running back for the Washington Redskins. His father, Roy Jr., is one of the most prolific scorers in MLS history and a former member of the U.S. national team. His 15-yearold sister, Isabella, plays tennis.
The elder Lassiter, now an assistant coach with Houston Dynamo’s second team, ended his career with 88 regular-season MLS goals, 13 playoff goals and an MLS Cup in 1999. His record of 27 goals in a season with the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1996 held for 22 years until it was broken in 2018 by Atlanta United’s Josef Martinez.
Lassiter also made 34 appearances with the U.S. Men’s National Team.
“Speed has always been a part of me, same with my father, it just runs in the family,” Ari Lassiter said. “Speed is very dangerous in today’s game, so I try to bring that every time I step on the field.
“I think I’m a different style than my Dad. He was much more of a box player, a poacher. Looking back at what he did, at all the goals he scored in the league is just incredible, especially now being at the level I’m at now. To do what he did is not easy. Not too many people do it. My game’s different, I play more in wide areas, more 1v1 and dribbling.”
Roy Lassiter, who was playing in Costa Rica when Ari was born, said his son never crawled. He went straight to walking at 11 months old, and soon thereafter started running and kicking soccer balls. He was at his father’s side in locker rooms all over the world and fell in love with the sport at a young age.
“I didn’t want to force it on him, but he just liked it a lot,” Roy Lassiter said. “The game has evolved, and Ari has a lot of technical skills I didn’t have. He can play right-footed and left-footed. I was mainly dominant left. I think we’re about the same as far as athleticism.”
Who would win a foot race between Ari and Roy in his prime?
“Oh, boy … I was very, very quick, so I’d say in the first 10 to 15 yards, I’d probably be a little bit faster, but after that Ari has a second and third gear I would never be able to hang with,” said the elder Lassiter. “He’s just that fast and Miami needs to really exploit that. Robbie [Robinson] and Ari are very good wing players, both have a lot of skill, good going 1v1 with players. Ari loves and understands how to get in behind players.”
The proud father pointed
out that his son will drop back to defend, help the wing back and does a lot of running. His partnership with Yedlin is getting stronger each week, Roy Lassiter said. “Yedlin now trusts Ari a lot and gives him the ball really fast, and that’s what should be happening. Release that ball really fast and let Ari attack. [Miami coaches] Phil Neville and Jason Kreis are seeing what their tools are and using them.”
Ari said he enjoys playing alongside Yedlin, who plays for the U.S. national team.
“I knew that was going to be a good partnership from the beginning,” Lassiter said. “He understands me, I understand him, as far as when he wants to get up, I try to give him the ball as much as I can to reward him for the work he does. We have a partnership offensively and defensively whether he stays inside and I stay wide or he goes long and I come short.
“It’s huge for me as a winger because a lot of times if you don’t have an outside back that can get up like that I’m dealt with 1 against 2, so when he gets up or stays, it gives me an opportunity to go 1v1 or stay outside and turns into a dealers’ choice. I feed into the freedom he gives me.”
Ari Lassiter spent four years with the LA Galaxy organization (2015-2018), a year and a half with the
Houston Dynamo (20202021), and a year and a half with Costa Rica’s top-division Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (20192020) — where he recorded an impressive total of 24 goals and 16 assists in only 65 appearances and helped them reach the final in the 2019 Torneo Apertura and the 2020 Torneo Clausura.
“I’m so thankful that
Ari is in the right place now,” his father said. “I’m so thankful for the Inter Miami coaches, and Chris Henderson and David [Beckham] for seeing his talents and giving him the opportunity because I think Ari’s finding life in Miami. He’s a real team player. As a striker, I only thought about myself. I was egotistical. But Ari is a true team player.”
I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A FAN, I WATCH FROM PRACTICE TO QUALIFYING TO THE WHOLE RACE, I DON’T MISS A LAP.
Ari Lassiter