Inside the Ultra-exclusive Side of the F1 Miami Grand Prix—Driver Sightings, Hot Laps, and VIP Suites Included

Miami is an over-the-top, nonstop party of a destination, and the 2025 Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix (May 2-4) was an all-out celebration of the sport. From celebrity-packed parties and exclusive hospitality suites to unique experiences in the paddock and on the track, I got an inside look at the Miami race’s most luxurious offerings. 

Whether you’re a dedicated fan who wants to watch every second of every practice, qualifying, and race lap or you’re a casual viewer who just wants to see what all the F1 buzz is about, the Miami Grand Prix offers a wide variety of experiences. From campus-only passes and the grandstands to the invite-only Palm Club (where the likes of Jeff Bezos, Travis Kelce, LeBron James, Tom Cruise, Ed Sheeran, and more A-listers have been spotted), there are dozens of places to watch the race. 

I spent most of the weekend in the paddock, where the teams’ garages and some exclusive hospitality spaces are located (with the Paddock Club just above). I even took a thrilling ride around the track with Williams Racing on a Pirelli Hot Lap, where a professional driver reached speeds over 100 miles per hour with me in the passenger seat. And while I had special access to the paddock and visited the garages of Aston Martin, Alpine, and Williams, guests can purchase an F1 Paddock Club package from F1 Experiences, which provides access to the F1 Paddock Club, a prime hospitality space overlooking the start/finish line; pit lane walks, where they can see the cars up close; and access to the actual paddock, where they may even spot a few of their favorite drivers.

Also in the paddock, F1 Garage is an intimate hospitality space located alongside the garages at multiple races. This weekend, it featured bites from Gordon Ramsay’s Miami restaurants, Hell’s Kitchen and Lucky Cat, for a culinary-forward experience for race fans.  

Beyond the Paddock Club and F1 Garage, I got an inside look at the Aston Martin suite, where Elemis (the first skin care partner in F1) was providing complimentary spa treatments to guests. I toured the ultra-exclusive Palm Club, stopped by The 72 Club, ate and drank my way through the speakeasies at the Casa Tua Trackside Club, and watched the race-day action from the Vista Club. 

Wherever you watch, one thing is certain: It’s an absolute thrill to see the drivers zoom around the 3.36-mile track, navigating 19 turns and three straights around Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. And this year’s race was especially exciting—from my vantage point at the Vista Club on Turn 1, I saw some of the best moments of the event, including when Oscar Piastri overtook Max Verstappen to secure the lead.

Of course, in Miami, the party doesn’t stop when the race ends. Throughout the weekend, the city hosted concerts, parties, and more to celebrate this year’s Grand Prix. F1 teams hosted pop-up events throughout the city, and the Racing Fan Fest gave fans the chance to get into the spirit. Lucky invitees also had the opportunity to party with F1 teams; Aston Martin Aramco collaborated with DJ Dom Dolla, who played a set during their race weekend party. The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, hosted Pitbull and Kygo concerts at Hard Rock Live, plus trackside sets from the artists at the Hard Rock Beach Club. The casino hotel, located 20 minutes north of the stadium (those actual drive times can stretch depending on race weekend traffic), was a prime place to stay for weekend events and easy shuttles to and from the race. 

The exclusive, $3,000-a-seat Carbone Beach supper club (in partnership with American Express) brought the dining hot spot to Miami Beach for three star-studded evenings. Tom Brady, Patrick and Brittany Mahomes, Jamie Foxx, Suni Lee, and more celebrities attended the event, dining on the restaurant’s famed rigatoni and watching performances from Jelly Roll, T-Pain, and Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean.

The Miami Grand Prix has been extended through 2041, and you can currently sign up to be notified when tickets go on sale.