Figure 1 F1 is a big hit with celebrities

Formula 1 Grands Prix have always attracted A-listers and high society. There are plenty of motorsports fans as well, of course, but there is something about the elite competition that makes celebrities flock to the circuits when the big races come around.

Maybe it is the locations of the races themselves. Circuits in places like Monaco, Milan, and Abu Dhabi allow the rich and famous to combine their love of shopping and their love of being seen. It’s a win-win situation really – and that’s only heightened if they actually like F1 too!

But for the last two years, there has been an addition to the F1 circuit that has thrown the celebrity quota into overload. Bringing the sport to Miami was a masterstroke by those in charge – allowing more of the US-based celebrities to get in on the action. So, as more Americans learn how to bet on Formula 1, we thought we would take a look at which celebrities have been spotted at the circuits.

What is F1?

Before we go any further we should probably briefly explain what F1 is for any newcomers. As other types of motorsports have traditionally been more popular in the US, it may be something new on your radar – especially if you are more interested in the celebrities than the sport.

F1, or Formula 1, is the highest class of international, single-seat racing and has been around since 1950. The rich and famous have always been attracted to the sport, as the tournament is made up of a series of races – or Grands Prix – that take place in some of the most desirable places on the planet.

There are actually two competitions. There is the Drivers’ championship, in which the drivers are awarded points for finishing each race. Then there is the constructors’ championship, in which the carmakers are awarded points. There are two drivers for each constructor, so everyone has the potential to gain points at each race.

Drive to Survive

NASCAR had always been the most popular motorsports series in the US, while F1 had more fans in Europe and the Middle East. But Hollywood A-listers didn’t tend to be spotted at NASCAR events, as the organization has a more blue-collar reputation and is focused in particular areas of the country that are not Hollywood.

But F1 enjoyed a huge uptake of interest in the States with the release of the Drive to Survive documentary series that first came out on Netflix in 2019 and is now in its fifth season. It has attracted a whole new audience to F1, allowing season-long themes to be presented in single episodes. The American public had finally recognized the high-octane drama of Formula 1.

Miami is a Game Changer

If Drive to Survive introduced the US to Formula 1, then the addition of the Miami Grand Prix to the season in 2022 changed everything. Formula 1 actually has a fairly long history with the US but races had been intermittent over the years and it had never really dug its claws into the American market.

But with a whole new audience keen to see what F1 was all about because of the Netflix show, the Miami Grand Prix became the event of the year. Miami, as a city, is perfect to host the extravaganza that is an F1 Grand Prix. It has the party atmosphere, excellent weather, money to burn, and is a celebrity magnet at the worst of times. F1 just simply couldn’t fail here!

Figure 2 Miami is a perfect city for F1

Lionel Messi

If F1 fans thought that the inaugural Miami Grand Prix in 2022 was a wild, celebrity-laden affair, they were in for an even bigger shock this year. It probably hasn’t escaped your notice that a certain Lionel Messi – possibly the greatest soccer player that ever lived – recently joined Inter Miami of Major League Soccer.

That a player of Messi’s stature would join the American league was a big enough story on its own. But Messi going to Miami, with its own strong Latin culture, made the city make headline news all around the world. Everyone now knows about MLS, Inter Miami, and Lionel Messi. That only made his appearance at this year’s Miami Grand Prix an even bigger draw for other celebrities.

Celebrity F1 Fans

As we mentioned earlier, F1 was not exactly short of celebrity fandom before it arrived in Miami. But everything seems to have been taken up a notch now and this year’s event was positively swarming with A-listers. Hollywood stars such as Tom Cruise mingled with NFL quarterbacks, while singers like Shakira swapped fashion notes with the Williams sisters.

Business leaders Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos were both spotted in the paddock and the garages, checking out the cars, while mere A-list celebrities were everywhere. With a plethora of parties to attend, as well as the race itself, the Miami Grand Prix weekend is set to become the most prestigious event on the F1 calendar – if not in all of sports.