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There’s just something different about the Formula 1 races in Miami and Las Vegas when compared to the F1 events held in places like in Austin and Indianapolis.
Oh, right. It’s the fact that the F1 races in Miami and Las Vegas appear to be more set up to cater to and draw the one percent and their companions.
As a friend of mine who has attended Formula 1 events in Indy and Austin stated, “I could not imagine wanting to go to a race less than the Miami and Vegas bull s—. Absolutely everything that’s wrong about F1. At least Monaco has history and yachts.
“I went to Indy and COTA in Austin and both were pretty cool. Still expensive but WAY more feasible for normal people. And it actually felt like a race rather than some millionaire/billionaire gathering.”
Case in point, the two paragraphs about the F1 Miami Grand Prix in an article published by Bloomberg read, “At Carbone Beach, Elon Musk and Ken Griffin mingled over red wine. Steve Ross mugged for the camera along with Nelson Peltz and David Solomon.
“The billionaires, along with other members of the jet set, were at a party thrown by Major Food Group on Saturday, a day before the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Miami.”
The article goes on to detail how the Hard Rock bash, which featured performers like Ed Sheeran and Steve Aoki cost over $1,700 for the three-day event prior to the race.
At the Hard Rock beach club, a basket of carne asada nachos cost $180, $190 for a crispy wing board or a platter of fruit. Lobster rolls cost $280, an ounce of caviar cost $400, and it was $560 for a single bottle of Tito’s vodka. (Note: a 1.75 liter bottle of Tito’s vodka costs $27.28 at Sam’s Club.)
Granted, these prices, according to a Hard Rock spokesperson, were set for groups of six to eight people. Still, with eight people splitting one $560 bottle of vodka that comes to $70 per person.
Is this really the best way for Formula 1 to try and establish a fan base in America? Or do the only fans the racing organization really cares about include people such as Donald Trump, Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner, Rihanna, Camila Cabello and the like.
Oh well, at someone new FINALLY won a race.