F1 2024 Insider's Guide No. 06 – Miami

There can’t be a much more showbiz race than Miami. This Grand Prix epitomises the newfound love that Americans have found in their hearts for F1 since Netflix started screening Drive to Survive and the stories of the teams and drivers beamed into American homes. The Miami Grand Prix is a big-ticket event – Marc Anthony will be performing the national anthem and Ed Sheeran will be doing a gig at the Hard Rock Hotel. Everyone who follows the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team will be cheering on both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso as the pair look to score more points in Magic City.

What makes Miami such a feast for the senses?

America’s most colourful city will dazzle you with its pastel and neon buildings. The Art Deco architecture along Collins St is wonderfully kitsch and at the heart of South Beach sit some of the best boutique hotels like the fabulous Balfour with its cosy restaurant, lovely roof terrace and vintage vibe. The Bal Harbour Shops is one of the most vibrant malls and opposite is the St Regis Bal Harbour with pools galore and a kooky Greek restaurant that serves up Mediterranean dishes that burst with colour. The paintings in Miami’s many art galleries fizz with exuberance too; the whole scene comes alive at the annual Art Basel event, along with the new digital art offerings and NFTs.

How to find joy in the journey?

Water is all around you in Florida – the low-lying Everglades National Park is negotiated by a unique type of hovercraft that skims the surface of the wetlands, which teem with birds and wildlife. The legendary Overseas Highway links Miami to Key West and connects several of the Florida Keys. The highway is a quintessential road trip that leads you upon bridges above crystal waters to the end of America, for it serves as the USA’s most southern point. Back in Miami is where the world’s largest cruise port with its gigantic ships can be found. Those in the know will be sailing their yachts out from Miami Harbour in search of tranquillity along the Florida coast.

What’s new in Miami?

It’s not just F1 that has Miami’s citizens on the edge of their seats these days. Miami has fallen in love with some sports that were traditionally much bigger outside the US. Football (or soccer) has exploded in popularity since David Beckham launched Inter Miami and brought the likes of Lionel Messi and his Barcelona teammates Busquets and Alba to the club. A new stadium, the Miami Freedom Park, is under construction and will open next year as Inter’s home. Surprisingly, cricket is making waves in Miami too. The Men’s T20 World Cricket Cup will be played here with four matches in June at the Central Broward Stadium, including the USA taking on Ireland on June 14 2024.

Where should I go next?

One of America’s fastest-growing regions, Tampa Bay is attracting visitors from all over the world. At its heart, the city of Tampa has become something of a tech hub with startups, head offices, low rents on apartments and a thriving craft beer scene attracting digital nomads from expensive cities. Barstool’s Dave Portnoy recently did a pizza crawl here and flagged all the best pizza joints, attracting attention to Tampa’s doughy delights. St Petersburg is a big seaside resort where anything goes. While more sleepy Clearwater offers historic hotels and a quieter take on beach living. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge connects everything – a huge landmark bridge in the sky which crosses the Bay.

The Globe-Trotter x Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team partnership celebrates a shared commitment to craftsmanship, innovation, and heritage; bringing together the timeless style of Globe-Trotter’s handcrafted luggage and the cutting-edge design and performance of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team.