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This year sees the third edition of the event, which seems to get bigger and better every year. Las Vegas is a tough city to follow, so Miami will definitely step up its efforts even more in 2024 – and with MoneyGram, you could be there.
If the number of celebrities in attendance and the number of F1-related events happening in the city are any measure of the success of an F1 event, then Miami is one of the best. And that’s why.
Superstar fans
There were plenty of superstars on the runway last year and there will be even more this time around, with globally recognized names from film, television, sports and even some of the world’s biggest tech entrepreneurs.
In 2023, the list of great and good included actors Tom Cruise, Vin Diesel, Diego Osorio, James Marsden and Michelle Rodriguez as well as TV star Lisa Hochstein and comedian Dax Shepard.
From the world of sports, there were tennis stars Venus, Serena Williams and Roger Federer; American footballers Patrick Mahomes, CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott; skier Lindsay Vonn; NBA star Paolo Banchero and legend Shaquille O’Neal.
Music superstars Shakira, Timbaland, LL Cool J, Ludacris, Queen Latifah, Becky G and DaBaby were also in attendance; fashion was represented by Chantel Jeffries and Tommy Hilfiger; and billionaire tech entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos also made an appearance.
Drive to Survive fans will be delighted to learn that this year, former MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner will return to the paddock this weekend in his new role as the event’s new ambassador.
Steiner, whose 10-year tenure at Haas ended last year, is hugely popular in America due to his starring role in the Netflix documentary and he will be on hand to meet fans before and during the event.
Live music events have been a highlight in previous years and this time it’s the turn of global megastar Ed Sheeran to take the stage, while John Summit is also set to make some noise at Hard Rock Beach Club this year.
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sheeran will headline the stage on Saturday while race day will see DJ Summit, one of the hottest names in music dance, broadcasting energetic tunes all day long for spectators.
Entertainment, everywhere
The Miami Gardens circuit is a bit far from the famous South Beach area, but the racing influence will extend everywhere, with fast cars, late night parties and plenty of cool clubs hosting events in many locations.
Wynwood Marketplace is in the heart of the action, with entertainment, simulators and virtual reality games. Last year, Lewis Hamilton had a pop-up shop there and even showed up there on Friday to sign autographs for his fans.
Bayfront Park and the Racing Fan Fest also have plenty going on, with Bayfront hosting Q&As with former champions, while ultra-club E11EVENMiami hosts five party nights as part of its 24-hour Race Week EXPER11ENCE.
Inside the circuit, it’s all about classic Miami style, with music blaring in every direction, cameras capturing selfie stations on every corner, and bars offering a wide range of choices, ranging from relaxation to party atmospheres.
In the slightly bizarre surroundings of the marina, there are not one but two ‘clubhouse’ venues – the Yacht Club and the Boathouse – which combine a party atmosphere with great views of boat racing.
The Hard Rock Beach Club brings the beaches of South Florida to the track, alongside resort-style pools and luxury cabanas, with an area that spans Turns 11 and 12 and creates a quite unique to attend an F1 race.
The stadium is home to the Team Village and fans can get a bird’s eye view of the behind-the-scenes action from the top of the observation deck – where one fan even spotted Max Verstappen in an ice bath last year!
Local artwork and murals by South Florida artists are also on display, along with supercar displays, photo ops, free giveaways, interactive entertainment and even a gondola ride that takes fans above the action.
There are also plenty of culinary specialties, with 81 different food and drink stands on the race website, including a smokehouse, various Latin options, fully loaded burgers, sushi, craft beers, coffee, cones waffles and even an artisan baker.
Get dressed
F1 feels more on display in Miami than at most other races and it’s certainly a crowd pleaser, with some teams creating special liveries just for this event and most drivers sporting a unique helmet to make their mark.
Last year, Red Bull made a special effort for Miami, changing its standard livery on the RB19 to a unique fan-created design that featured pink, purple and light blue ribbons running along the sidepods.
In 2022, AlphaTauri (now RB) and Williams created special ‘art cars’ to mark the inaugural event – although, unfortunately, both models were far too radical to actually feature on the race track and have simply been presented on static display.
AlphaTauri’s design involved a mix of jade, lilac and light blue and radical styling to reflect the “eclectic personality” of Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood. The Williams had a graffiti livery created by Surge, inspired by vibrant cartoon illustrations.
Drivers have always come up with unique designs for Miami, including Lando Norris, who each time took a wacky sports theme by transforming his helmet into a basketball in 2022 and a beach ball in 2023.
In 2022, Sebastian Vettel opted for a snorkel and sea theme, representing the threat of flooding the region faces, while Daniel Ricciardo designed his helmet as a Hawaiian shirt and Pierre Gasly put a sunset on the his.
Verstappen and Zhou Guanyu both went neon that year, with the Red Bull driver sporting pink palm trees on his lid. However, it opted for a more subtle turquoise color on its standard design last season.
Albon stole Norris’ sporty vibe with a golf ball design for 2023 while Esteban Ocon, Logan Sargeant and Nico Hulkenberg opted for turquoise and pink, dark blue and yellow-orange palm trees respectively, the latter with a matching shirt.
Helmet designs are getting more and more cutting edge every year, so it will be fascinating to see how these helmet painters make their money for this year’s race, and all will be revealed very soon.
Win tickets
Is a race in Miami a dream? If so, head over to dream.moneygram.com for your chance to achieve them during MoneyGram Miami Dream Weekend.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Open from 12:01 a.m. (CT) March 22, 2024 to 11:59 p.m. (CT) April 17, 2024 to permanent legal residents of the United States in all 50 states and DC; who are 21 years or older. Draw on April 19, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. (CT). See official rules at https://dreams.moneygram.com
