Formula 1 News: Record crowd for 2024 Miami GP
A sell-out crowd attended the Miami International Autodrome over the three days of the 2024 Miami GP Formula 1 race, up over 5,000 from last year and an increase of 45,000 from the inaugural event in 2022.
The empty seats you saw on TV were people who left their seats to get relief from the oppressive Miami heat and humidity. Being closer to the equator than most F1 races, the intensity of the sun in Miami is almost unbearable for 2 hours. Those fans lucky enough to have a roof over their head for shade were lucky.
All grandstand seats should be covered, or this race needs to move to a 6:00pm ET start and finish under the lights at dusk. It would give the fans in attendance some relief from the intense sun. The race would finish around 12:30am in Europe, which still allows those fans to get to sleep and to work the next morning.
It was once again a popular destination for famous figures from the sporting world and celebrities from the film and music industry. Miami Dolphins players Jalen Ramsey, Raheem Mostert, Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, Teron Armstead and Jevon Holland joined the Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler, along with fellow NBA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams rubbed shoulders with singer-songwriters Zayn Malik, Shakira, Camila Cabello and electronic duo The Chainsmokers.
Meanwhile the celebrity investors of the Alpine Team — NFL players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce along with golfer Rory McIlroy — were also at Sunday’s race supporting their team.
“I want to congratulate Lando Norris on his first Formula 1 victory, as well as Zak Brown and the entire McLaren team on an incredible day in Miami,” said Tom Garfinkel, Managing Partner FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX, who presented Norris the winners’ trophy on the podium. “We are thrilled that the Miami Grand Prix played host to such an exciting race and delighted that the 275,000 fans in attendance this weekend were able to enjoy three days of exciting on-track action, as well as the lineup of great entertainment throughout the weekend.
Thanks to Formula 1 and the FIA, we’re proud to have showcased the city of Miami to the world and there’s no doubt our third race in Miami Gardens has been our best yet.”.
Aside from the main event, there was plenty of entertainment for fans to enjoy across the Campus, from the performances of DJs Cedric Gervais, John Summit and Kaskade at Hard Rock Beach Club to the post-race podium set from renowned DJ and producer Kaytranada. A star-studded weekend of entertainment also featured six-time Grammy Award winner Marc Anthony who delivered a special rendition of the U.S. National Anthem on the starting grid prior to the start of the race.
On the track there was action from the Porsche Carrera Cup North America, while rising star Abbi Pulling once again dominated the second all-female F1 ACADEMY series race of the weekend. In a repeat of yesterday’s race, she led all 13 laps from pole position in her Alpine-liveried Formula 4 car and was joined on the podium by McLaren’s Bianca Bustamante and Mercedes’ Doriane Pin. Finally, last night a special Bonhams|Car auction featured 23 super cars and the star of the show was the 2011 Ferrari SP30 Berlinetta which fetched over $2 million.
