The Miami GP has proven to be the greatest spectacle of the season so far. With America’s favorite celebrities coming down to get a taste of the F1 experience, it ups the ante for the remaining races. American events tend to have that effect. Thus, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and the rest of the grid got thrown into a crowd they’re seldom used to.
F1 fans across the globe are equally excited to meet their favorite drivers, and equally passionate to wave their team’s flag- with the Americans, everything’s bigger. Bigger crowds, louder chants, and dramatic experiences.
The stars are out ✨#MiamiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/cZ559ibFOi
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 7, 2023
A fan with the VIP pass at the Miami GP shared their experience with the rest of the world; adding some hot takes about interactions with drivers and other celebrities at the event.
Smiley Lewis Hamilton and grumpy Max Verstappen roam F1 paddocks
In a post submitted to the gossip page, Duexmoi, a fan went into great detail about all the drivers and celebrities strutting around the paddock.
They pumped up Lewis Hamilton as he walked by, shouting a quick “Still We Rise” to the champion. This was received with a smile, as Hamilton, known for his wholesome fan interactions, chatted with the fan and “was very engaging”.
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The interaction with Charles Leclerc was by far the best. A Ferrari fan, the anonymous tipper was now a Leclerc fan first. “He was so nice, very smiley. I had my friend’s son with me when I met him, and he was so sweet to him, it was heartwarming to see. His mother raised a gentleman.”
Checking in for race day 🤩#F1 #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/uEFdGPDHlt
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 7, 2023
While these experiences were extremely positive, they painted Max Verstappen as a grumpy old man. “He was okay, he gave us an autograph. My friend tried to make him smile but he just walked away.” While other drivers and guests didn’t fall below the 9/10 ranking by the fan, they gave Verstappen a measly 5.
Piastri, Norris, and Albon were the nice guys, while they dubbed Sargeant and Gasly the funny ones. Sergio Perez was lovely, as he walked around with his wife, and was seemingly in a good mood.
Celebs get reviewed at Miami GP
As expected the paddock was filled with influencers, TikTok stars alongside A-listers from the music industry, athletes, and Hollywood stars. The Fast and Furious Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez made for good conversation as the duo laughed along with the fan.
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ASAP Rocky, too, impressed the fan as they recalled their interaction with the rap star. “My friend made a joke about ‘we don’t pray for love, we just pray for cars’.” Referring to a song by the Weeknd, usually, artists would be offended, but ASAP played along. “Well I pray for both.”
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Emily Ratajkowski and Kevin Jonas won hearts as well, while Roger Federer stole the show. “He was the highlight of the GP, it was a pleasure, what a gent, what a legend.”
Thus, the first of three American races come to an end. While COTA should garner a similar experience, all eyes are on Las Vegas. Clearly the Drive to Survive effect has been game-changing for Lewis Hamilton & Co.