Nick and Kate, who attended this year’s Miami Grand Prix at Hard Rock Stadium, share their experiences and advice.
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Nick from the USA
The Miami Grand Prix is three years into a ten-year contract which was agreed between Formula 1 and Stephen Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins and the Hard Rock Stadium. The race is run over 57 laps at Miami International Autodrome, about 25 minutes’ drive north of downtown Miami and the famous South Beach area. It’s the first of three races this year in the USA.
The atmosphere and culture in the Miami area absolutely adds value to the overall fan experience when attending this race, not only for having so many things to do and see away from the track, but also the numerous F1 fan activations taking place around the city. Williams, Red Bull Racing, VCARB, Alpine, as well as other teams and sponsors, all staged events during race week this year.
Trackside Experience
There’s plenty to see and do in between F1 sessions at the Miami Grand Prix, including the F1 Fanzone and The Promenade, both of which are located along the section of the circuit between Turns 8-11. The fan zone featured simulators, tire changing challenges, the drivers championship trophy, as well as cars up for auction.
Navigating the Miami International Autodrome can be a bit tricky at times, as there are various bridges to cross the track. It’s definitely worth visiting Hard Rock Stadium. Anyone with a valid race ticket can go up to the top for an amazing 360 degree view of the circuit and surroundings. You can also see into the stadium itself, where the Formula 1 Paddock is located. If you’re lucky, you may even see a driver or two! If you decided to just do a campus pass (general admission) this is an absolutely underrated area to watch a race from! Be sure to check out my vlog to see what a full 3-day experience is like!
South Beach Grandstand
This is my second year sitting at the South Beach Grandstand, which is located on the outside of Turn 11. I chose this spot initially because I think it is a bit of a hidden gem at Miami International Autodrome. Sitting here allows you to see one of the best overtaking zones at the circuit, as well as being able to see down a straight that has DRS. You get the best of both worlds, with high and low speed action. Not to mention that South Beach grandstand tickets are some of the cheapest available at the Miami Grand Prix. Depending on where you sit in the grandstand you can also see a lot of the action in Turns 12-14.
Food & Drink
There are food options everywhere at the track in Miami. From American, to Cuban, Asian, Italian, and much more. There are multiple large tents with vendors, available basically anywhere you are sitting, whether that is on the east campus side near the Beach area or all the way in the west near the MIA Marina. Food is a bit pricey in Miami. You’re very unlikely to have a complete meal for less than $25 USD. If you attend all three days, the costs add up quickly.
Getting to and from Miami International Autodrome
You have several airports to choose from when flying into the Miami area: West Palm Beach (a little over an hour away via car), Miami International (the largest and closest airport to the track) and Fort Lauderdale, which is between the other two airports. You can also fly into an airport further north, such as Orlando, Tampa, or Atlanta, but then you’d likely need to rent a car.
To get to Hard Rock Stadium, you’ll need to purchase a parking pass in advance if driving or ride the shuttle. Parking is at a premium as the circuit itself uses much of the stadium’s parking areas. You can buy parking with your race tickets, but some of these lots are a long way from the circuit itself, and involve taking a shuttle from the parking lot to the track.
Rideshare is another option, as well as the Brightline train service. In both cases, you need to use lots off-site and ride a shuttle the rest of the way to and from the circuit.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed the whole experience at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, despite it being one of the more expensive races to attend on the calendar. Having said that, the most affordable General Admission tickets are great value in Miami and offer lots of good vantage points. When buying tickets via the official race website, you get the benefit of locking in your price from this year for the next race. Don’t forget to check the prohibited items before heading to the track, and remember they have a clear bag policy and pretty tight security. Overall, I think that Miami is a really underrated track that delivers exciting racing and a really good fan experience.
Cost Breakdown
- 3-Day Turn 11 Grandstand ticket = $800
- Return flights from Birmingham AL to West Palm Beach Airport = $400
- Parking was free for being a renewed ticket holder but can cost up to $100 a day if you park in an official lot (unofficial lots are cheaper)
- Accommodation: I stayed with family, but the cost of a hotel starts from around $300 per night. Stay further from the circuit if you want to save money
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Kate from the USA
TLDR: The Miami Grand Prix was much more fun than I expected it to be after hearing the horror stories from last year. I was impressed with the preparedness and efficiency of the transportation, food and drink, extra activities, and overall aesthetic of the race. If I were a GA ticket holder, I would’ve been happy with the close proximity and views of the track, as well as the amount of seating and accessible TVs. The North Beach Grandstand was a lot of fun, but I preferred the view of the overtakes and speed of Turn 18. If I were to go again, I would sit in the same sections on the same days. My main regret is not visiting the F1 Academy Paddock.
Planning
I planned this trip last minute as I heard that resale ticket prices were falling, and that plenty of seats were available. I bought budget airline tickets one week before the trip and purchased my race tickets through Ticketmaster. I looked at Stubhub and SeatGeek as well, but chose Ticketmaster due to the quick and easy ticket transfer, and to avoid wondering when I would receive my tickets. I was able to transfer a ticket to my friend easily through the Ticketmaster app. I stayed at a friend’s condo in Hollywood Beach, east of the stadium.
A quick google search explained the prohibited and allowed items into the Autodrome. I was prepared with sunscreen, a small clear backpack, and an empty 2 liter camelbak hydration bladder. Clear water bottles were also permitted given that they were less than 32 ounces. Many people had neck fans, which I would recommend due to the heat and humidity. Outside food was allowed with a medical note. Security was denying entry to people with normal backpacks, but they were permitting small non-clear purses and fanny packs.
Saturday: North Beach Grandstand
(Section 4, Row P: $150 USD per ticket)
The Miami Grand Prix website provided recommended transportation routes from each direction. We used rideshare to get to the shuttle lot, and took a free shuttle that took roughly 10-15 minutes to get to the track. We were dropped off and walked a quarter of a mile to Gate 3. Once inside, we were able to use the Miami Grand Prix app to navigate to our grandstand. As we were walking towards the East campus and the Beach grandstands, we were able to watch the sprint race from General Admission (GA) areas adjacent to the track. In between the sprint and qualifying, we explored most of the other areas of the track.
Each campus had free water stations next to guest experience services (marked on the phone app), food truck style food vendors, markets, and pop-up style bars with music playing. Water station lines went fairly quickly and water was somewhat cool (not cold). The pop-up bars had shade and seating.
The markets were large covered buildings with multiple types of food such as Cuban, Mexican, sushi, pizza and mediterranean. These areas included seating and multiple TVs, which might have been a good place to watch the race when not in your seat. Food and drink prices were comparable to stadium prices. Alcoholic drinks outside of the cocktail stands were $15, basic ice cream was $10 and a meal was $15-22. I only purchased one snack and one full meal a day, and that was an adequate amount of food.
Merchandise tents were also across the track from Formula 1, Hard Rock (Red Bull), and Miami Autodrome. I found the Miami and the Hard Rock merchandise to be the most unique. It also began to sell out on Saturday, so it pays to buy early in the weekend.
North Beach grandstand had three main positives. Firstly, even the “non-covered” bench seats were in the shade and you didn’t have to look into the sun. Almost the whole South Beach grandstand was directly in the sun. Secondly, the view of the track allowed us to view the cars at lower speeds, which meant we could take better photos of the liveries. Thirdly, there was a view of the Hard Rock beach club with musicians and DJs playing. After the race, the grandstand turned into an after party of sorts and had a very fun vibe. This section was on the younger side (most fans were aged from their 20s to 50s).
We exited Gate 3 and went to the same parking lot, where we waited for the shuttle. We used rideshare to go everywhere in Miami across the weekend. Many clubs advertised “race weekend” events where tickets could be purchased online in advance.
Sunday: Turn 18 Grandstand
(Section 15, Row O: $350 USD per ticket)
On Sunday, we decided to order a rideshare directly to the track. With the increased traffic, we were dropped off in the Walmart parking lot across the street and walked ten minutes to Gate 5. As we were leaving for the airport immediately after the race, we brought our luggage to the storage area before security. It cost around $40 per bag to leave it for the day. We arrived at the track around the time of the drivers’ parade, which we watched from a GA area.
We explored the extra activities available to ticket holders. There was a Red Bull Pit Stop station where you could change a tire, a driver selfie station, and a wind station which simulated the back of the car exhaust. These activities were free after signing up through the F1 Fanzone.
Turn 18 Grandstand was better for the race itself. The view of the race included much more track distance than the Beach grandstand. Again, this section was completely in the shade. After the straight, the turn showcased many overtakes, out of which the drivers would increase speed into the final stretch. It also offered a view of the entrance to the pit lane. Overall, the Turn 18 grandstand was a little older in terms of demographics than the Beach grandstand (fans aged from their 30s to 60s). The turn offered continuous excitement, especially towards the end of the race when the whole section was cheering wildly for Lando Norris.
The instructions for leaving were slightly confusing, as the rideshare parking lot was a mile away. Many people ordered cars to Walmart, but we decided to walk further down closer to the designated lot. It took 20 minutes for the car to reach us.
