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What It’s Like Being a V.I.P. at the F1 Miami Grand Prix
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- What It’s Like Being a V.I.P. at the F1 Miami Grand Prix
(Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Another successful Miami Grand Prix is in the books, and this one didn't even require a good race.
The fourth edition of the annual race was nearly devoid of drama at the top, after McLaren's Oscar Piastri passed last year's Driver's Champion, Red Bull's Max Verstappen , on the 14thlap. The Australian wouldn't relinquish the lead, beating teammate and last year's race winner, Lando Norris , by more than four seconds, and the rest of the field by over a half-minute.
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Piastri's dominant performance didn't mean the grand prix was devoid of excitement, though. The previous day's sprint race was delayed a half-hour by rain, then quickly devolved into a chaotic mess that saw Norris come out on top thanks to a fortuitous pit stop right before the safety car came out following a crash by Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso on lap 14. There was also Sunday's pre-race drivers parade , which was a joy for both fans and participants alike, thanks to the involvement of some life-size Lego models of each team's race car.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton drive a Ferrari Lego car during the drivers parade
But even if the action on the track had failed to deliver, the tens of thousands of fans who flooded the Miami International Autodrome on Sunday would have left the massive campus in high spirits. That's because in 2025, F1 is much entertainment as it is a sport. And Miami, which is the first of three U.S. races on the competition's calendar, does over-the-top spectacle better than just about any American city—especially if you're rich and famous.
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Anyone familiar with F1 knows that the ideal place to watch a race from is the paddock club, and Miami is no different. Robb Report watched all three days of this year's grand prix from the suite of the race's managing partner, Tom Garfinkel, who is also the CEO of the NFL's Miami Dolphins (the autodrome is a temporary race circuit built around the team's home, the Hard Rock Stadium). The structure has nearly 3,000 feet of balcony space, from which the 6,271 people lucky enough to score an invite to one of this year's 36 suites can get an unobstructed view of the start and finish lines.
Inside a Paddock Club suite
There's plenty to do when you're not watching Piastri, Verstappen, or Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton rocketing around the track at speeds in excess of 230 mph. The gorgeous and airy space also features plenty of seating where guests can feast on decadent dishes prepared by Do & Co (we were especially fond of Sunday's Chilean seabass main), sip on Moet & Chandon champagne, and converse with your fellow fan, who just might be a Dolphin player, about the big race. Each suite, which are designed in conjunction with each team and promoter, also has an identity of its own, thanks in part to playlists curated by Garfinkel himself.
"We wanted this to be authentically Miami," Garfinkel told Robb Report last Friday. "And I think of Miami as a curator of culture in a lot of ways, if you think about art, fashion, music, food and beverage, and certainly sports."
Casa Tua has a hidden speakeasy that doubles as a sushi bar
But at the Miami Grand Prix, just like nearby South Beach, there's always a place even more exclusive and glamorous. At this year's race, there were three other luxury options for those looking to get the most out of the weekend, each offering a little more privacy and a different vibe than that of the more race-focused paddock club.
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The first of these was Casa Tua. Located near turns one and two, the lounge, which is named for the 24-year-old Miami Mediterranean restaurant, rather than Dolphin's quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of race day. The intimate space, which has a capacity of 500, consists a main area where guests can listen to live music, a Moroccan-themed side room, and a hidden speakeasy that doubles as a sushi bar.
Inside the 72 Club
Up next is the 72 Club, which feels like a throwback to Miami's mid-century social clubs. The 800-person space is located on the stadium's south side, within view of the podium, and offers a stunning, unobstructed view of the action coming out of turn three. It also offers a vast spread of food and beverage options, including meals prepared by the chefs from four Miami restaurants—Gekko, Cassadonna, Papi Steak, and Komodo.
But the best way to experience the race, and the one that only 218 guests, including NFL star Patrick Mahomes, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, actress Nina Dobrev, and Olympian Shaun White, had access to, is the invite-only Palm Club.
The Palm Club's airy seating area
The gorgeous multi-room, Art Deco-inspired space is located right next to the podium and represents the height of luxury at the grand prix. Invitees and their guests (no entourages allowed) have access to a special drop-off area from which they are whisked directly to the club's entrance via Moke. Once inside, there's a dazzling lounge and an outdoor seating area outfitted with theater-style seats and booths from which to take in the race. This year, catering was provided by ZZ's Club, Chateau ZZ's, Dirty French, and Sadelle's in collaboration with Major Food Group, along with a wine program curated by Carlton McCoy.
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Some of this may seem sacrilegious to the F1 fans who got into the sport because of Emerson Fittipaldi, Alain Prost, and Aryton Senna, rather than Drive to Survive, but there's no denying that the Miami Grand Prix is a success. If it weren't, then the sport, which under the stewardship of Liberty Media has become even more business-focused, wouldn't have announced that it was lengthening its deal with Miami by ten additional years this past Friday. This record-setting extension means that F1 will be coming to South Florida annually through at least 2041.
Patrick Mahome watches the race from the Palm Club
Now, with the extension sealed, the Miami Grand Prix team has plenty of time to inject even more of Miami's unique blend of glitz and glamour into its race, and turn itself into one of the biggest weekends on the F1 calendar.
Click here for more photos from the 2025 Miami Grand Prix.
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