Today marks the start of the Miami Grand Prix, even though the race took place two days prior. The atmosphere is electric, with a crowd of affluent attendees gathering outside the venue surrounding Dolphins Stadium.
Initially, tickets for the Miami International Autodrome were priced as high as $6,000 and sold out long before the event.
I noticed Bethenny Frankel from the Real Housewives of New York struggling to navigate her way to the track, which made me reflect on how much the sport has shifted over time.
Oddly enough, I hesitated to accept an invitation from multinational lottery company Allin for a day at the circuit.
Why? Well, my first Grand Prix experience was back when my boss sent me to cover it two decades ago.
It seems that nobody else cared about attending the 2001 Melbourne Grand Prix, which feels like a significant occurrence in 2026.
Honestly, who would care about free tickets and VIP access when you’re just trying to get the job done?
I ended up covering a couple more races in 2002 and 2003.
The crowd then was quite different from what you see in Miami today.
I’ve always appreciated cars and motorsport, yet at that time, being an F1 fan felt foreign. The audience was primarily older men, most decked out in Ferrari gear and waving flags.
I remember finding it strange that fans would dress entirely in merchandise from a brand that almost none of them could afford.
Back then, the sport seemed like a niche world, inhabited mostly by die-hard enthusiasts who only came alive during race weekends.
Getting tickets was relatively easy, probably because it felt so inaccessible to those not already in the know.
Upon arriving at the track, despite having an all-access press pass, we were far from the action. We ended up in makeshift bleachers, trying to glean information about the course.
Forget about glimpsing the cars up close or wandering through the pits—I think I even left before the race concluded to write my articles from the office.
The start was thrilling, but that was about it for interaction.
This all occurred before Red Bull took over and long before Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” transformed the sport into a mainstream sensation.
Since then, American investors have reshaped the commercial landscape.
“Drive to Survive” broadened the appeal of F1, moving beyond just lap times and tire strategies to delve into rivalries, glitz, and behind-the-scenes intrigue.
Now, there are three races in America, with a parade of celebrities filling the paddock. Plus, Cadillac is set to launch its own F1 team in 2026.
Today, F1 is the place to be, which explains why Allwin has partnered with Team McLaren and why Louis Vuitton is advertising at the venue, while celebrities queue to enter well before the race.
A quick look around shows an even mix of men and women in attendance.
Instead of being confined to the stands, fans can stroll down the pit lane and pop into McLaren’s garage to watch the mechanics prepare for the race.
This kind of access would have been unheard of just a generation ago.
It’s clear that as celebrities, influencers, and devoted fans share the same space, the explosion in F1 popularity is not just a trend; it’s a real reinvention of the sport.
