The Miami GP powers a billion-dollar engine of entertainment. But in the majority-Black neighborhood of Miami Gardens, residents are still weighing whether the trade-offs were worth it
On a humid Sunday afternoon in 2022, a who’s who of Hollywood’s rolling credits, Silicon Valley tech tycoons and the internet’s favorite micro-celebrities sat comfortably in shaded trackside VIP suites as 20 cars jolted past. Formula One, America’s latest sporting obsession, had finally carved out a home in South Florida and it fit Miami’s over-the-top image.
Four years into F1’s 20-year stay in the 305, the event has solidified itself as a place to see and be seen: Elon Musk has stopped by the Red Bull garage while Jeff Bezos sat on McLaren’s pit wall. Everyone from Kardashians to A-list actors to sports stars has lined up for a joy ride around the turquoise circuit’s 19 corners.