• Last weekend, Formula 1 hosted its first Grand Prix in Miami, which marked the 11^th different circuit raced in the United States.
• The parking lots and surface streets that surrounded Hard Rock Stadium were transformed into a venue that featured a 3.36-mile-long track as well as a campus that included a beach club, enormous VIP and general spectator areas, and pop-up restaurants and bars.
• To celebrate this milestone in F1’s 76-year history, the team at Pit+Paddock and partners ARP, Competition Clutch, CSF, and Supertech hosted members of the aftermarket industry for an unforgettable weekend experience.
• The experience included three days of spectating and a full Miami lifestyle itinerary that included a local dining tour, a Cars+Coffee-style visit to RMC Miami, and several nights out in South Beach’s top lounges and clubs.

If you were one of the 2.6 million live TV viewers who tuned into last Sunday’s F1 Miami GP in the U.S., you undoubtedly witnessed an important milestone in motorsports history despite much criticism and setbacks. The inaugural Miami Grand Prix wasn’t the most exciting race to watch if you were expecting non-stop passing or a multitude of crashes. The win belonged to Red Bull Racing team driver Max Verstappen, leading the 57-lap race since lap 9. Also, the makeshift racetrack that utilized the parking lots and surface roads surrounding Hard Rock Stadium was a far cry from offering the thrilling action of Brazil’s Interlagos Circuit, nor does it have the history of Italy’s Monza or even the glitz and glamour of Monaco. However, what Miami GP offered was hype, and a lot of it. America is the fastest-growing market for F1, primarily thanks to the success of the Netflix series Drive to Survive. Formula 1 took this into account when organizers decided to expand, in addition to the fact that Miami is a major city that’s destined for success and publicity thanks to its flashy lifestyle, exotic weather, premium price tags, and celebrity attraction. The city of Miami played host the best way it could, not for drawing the most hardcore fans or building the best circuit, but for turning its first Grand Prix into a spectacle that would garner global media coverage, raise several millions of dollars of revenue, and host Super Bowl-level stars which included the likes of Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Serena Williams, David Beckham and more. Despite the shortcomings that many raised regarding the Miami International Autodrome, 242,000 spectators were still willing to pay an average ticket price of over $2,000, yet still, come home with an experience of a lifetime. It was a steep price to pay but being able to say you were a part of one of the most monumental races in F1 history is priceless, which is exactly why the team at Pit+Paddock came up with a once-in-a-lifetime experience to host our valued partners over the weekend. The partner experience encompassed not only three days of watching 1,000hp F1 cars scream around Miami Gardens but also included a curated itinerary that was filled to the brim with activities and sightseeing. Below is a summary of the highlights from our trip; however, the whole experience is extremely difficult to put into words and photos. Our hope is that in the future, we’re able to offer more of these types of adventures to our partners and audience as Pit+Paddock continues to evolve as a lifestyle brand and marketing agency.

We’d like to take a moment to thank our partners ARP, Competition Clutch, CSF, and Supertech for making all this possible.

F1 MIAMI GP PARTNER EXPERIENCE BREAKDOWN

3-Day Track Pass
There was no shortage of watching racing as we enjoyed a beautiful vantage point from Turns 11 and 12, which probably had the most mistakes and overtakes take place at. However, what was equally as exciting as watching from the grandstands was being able to explore the campus, which was basically one big pop-up experience. There was a lot of ground to cover and exciting brand activations to check out. If we had to complain about anything, it was easily the 95-degree heat combined with the humidity and lack of shade. This comes with the territory of hosting an outdoor event in Miami in May…

Miami Lifestyle
It goes without saying, but you can’t go to Miami without dipping into their fame nightlight scene, which is one of the best in the world. Our group hit some of the top nightclubs in the city to watch DJs like Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix, Zedd, and The Chainsmokers. Miami did not disappoint!

Pit+Paddock Clubhouse
During our stay in Miami, our group spent much of our time at the “Pit+Paddock Clubhouse,” where we transformed our villa in the Design District of Miami into our home base. Here, we could relax by the pool, hang out, and enjoy many of our meals from local restaurants. It was also nicely located outside the hustle and bustle of South Beach. It proved to be the perfect place to wind down and shuttle to and from the track without too much traffic.

RMC Miami Tour
We’ve published a dealership tour on RMC Miami before, thanks to our photographer Drew Manley, but coordinating a Cars+Coffee-style visit during F1 Miami GP weekend was the cherry on top of the weekend as we were able to check out some of their latest and greatest inventory, which included an original DP Motorsport Porsche 935 and RWB Ferrari F348 (1 of 2 in the world!). A huge thank you to Eddie, Danny, and Bernard from RMC for having us!

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