The Best Moments of the 2023 Miami Grand Prix and Race Week

The 2023 Miami Grand Prix has zipped right on by.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the big race. Teammate Sergio “Checo” Pérez and Aston-Martin’s Fernando Alonso joined him on the podium. Still, there were so many more champs during the over-the-top spectacle of Miami Race Week beyond the rubber-burned track.

Just as Art Basel has become about so much more than art, the Miami Grand Prix has solidified itself as another week in the year to party hard in South Florida. Be it at the Miami International Autodrome watching the Jonas Brothers from a blow-up race car in a pool, catching Red Bull Racing’s fan favorite Sergio Pérez racing tiny cars at La Tiendita in Wynwood, watching Meek Mill perform from the back of a Hummer in the Design District, attending a wild $6,000 dinner with Olympic gold medalist Lindsay Vonn and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, catching Travis Scott throw down at E11even, or participating in a Citi Bike tour with Aston-Martin drivers.

Here are some highlights from this year’s Miami Race Week and Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton Shot Some Hoops in the Design District

As it turns out, seven-time Formula 1 champ and Mercedes AMG Petronas icon Lewis Hamilton can ball, too. On Wednesday, May 3, he joined actor James Marsden, retired NFL legend Antrel Rolle, and Olympic skateboarder Jagger Eaton for a game of basketball put on by Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen and local nonprofit Dibia Dream. The game was part of a three-day takeover of Jungle Plaza in Miami’s Design District by IWC, which included a massive mural of Hamilton sporting one of the Swiss watches.

The Mercedes team also threw a hoppin’ private party at the official team hotel, the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, on Friday, May 5. “A Legendary Affair” lived up to its name with performances by Disclosure and Tokimonsta and appearances by driver Mick Schumacher, Brooklyn Beckham, and tennis legend Maria Sharapova.

Red Bull Gave Us Wiiiiings – and a Casa Checo

There is no bigger name in racing than Red Bull at the moment. Not only is Red Bull home to the two top racers in F1 – Verstappen and Pérez – but it throws down like no other, no matter what city the team lands in. This was visible at its curb-hugging party zone at the Autodrome, Energy Station, the Red Bull Fan Zone at the Racing Fan Fest (which hosted an e-sports tourney with Luis Fonsi and Rainy), and Casa Checo. Case Checo morphed La Tiendita in Wynwood into a cozy homage to Red Bull’s beloved driver and featured a special Checo-inspired menu throughout the week. The racing legend himself popped by on Saturday, May 6, after winning the qualifying round to mingle with fans, even racing tiny cars at one point.

Hard Rock Went Hard with Performances Aplenty

With official F1 shows at Hard Rock Live, Hard Rock Stadium as the epicenter of the racing action, and a Hard Rock Beach Club at the Autodrome with pools, cabanas, and performances, the Seminole-owned hospitality brand made its presence known. Among so many moments, the Hard Rock Beach Club performances were some of the best. On Saturday, May 6, the Jonas Brothers and reggaeton icons Wisin y Yandel took the stage at the venue. Race day didn’t disappoint either, with a set by Miami’s Cedric Gervais and Dutch powerhouse TiÁ«sto.

A Very Grutman Grand Prix

No party week would be complete without some bedazzling from Dave Grutman and Groot Hospitality. Grutman teamed up with GMC to host what was possibly the party of the week, Hummer House, at a private spot in the Design District on Saturday, May 6. At the event’s core was the 2024 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 SUV  on full display and a first look at the limited-edition Hummer EV Omega. DJ Khaled and rap icon Meek Mill performed from the back of a Hummer bed, and celebs came out in full force, including Maluma, Dak Prescott, Prince Royce, Anitta, and Paul Wesley. Speaking of Maluma, he teamed up with TiÁ«sto to host a Saturday night party at LIV. It was quite a visual spectacle, with TiÁ«sto spinning on one side of the club and a spotlighted Maluma cheering him on from a private table across the venue.

Just outside of LIV, poolside at the Fontainebleau pool, the hotel’s BleauLive series delivered performances by Martin Garrix on Saturday and wild back-to-back sets by Ludacris and DJ Kaskade on Sunday.

Patrón Brought the Power and Becky G

The Wharf’s Miami and Fort Lauderdale locations were morphed into a Patrón-popping viewing party on Sunday, May 7, with big screens showing the race. Beyond bringing tequila to the masses, Patrón brought Latin popstar Becky G to Joia Beach for a private performance on Friday, May 5. For a crowd of 400 or so VIPs, she performed a 45-minute set, including hits like “Bailé con Mi Ex” and “Shower.”

It’s Electric, Boogie Woogie

Electric cars are now everywhere, and Race Week was no exception. On Wednesday, May 3, luxury car manufacturer Laffite threw a party at Soho Studios, unveiling its first-ever road-legal hypercars. Among the folks in attendance were Dolphins star Tyreek Hill, singer Austin Mahone, sports journalist Emily Austin, and French soccer star Blaise Matuidi. The five models unveiled by Laffite – the LM1, the Atrax, and the Barchetta G1 and G2 – each has 1,000-plus horsepower and reportedly start in the $1.6 million range. Count on one zooming by you on I-95 sometime soon.

There Was Pickleball with Udonis Cheering Folks On

On Friday, May 5, the Pickleball House landed on the 19th floor of the JW Marquis Miami. The private event welcomed hundreds of creatives, athletes, and the in-between for networking and pickleball. Spotted cheering on participants were Miami Heat player Udonis Haslem and Bobbi Oshiro. The next day, Haslem’s nonprofit, the UD Foundation, held a youth pickleball clinic at Milander Park in Hialeah and donated two pickleball courts to remain there permanently.

All of the Awesomeness on the Race Grounds

As expected, Sunday, May 7, was a spectacle for celeb-spotting on the track. LL Cool J introduced the drivers as will.i.am conducted a symphony nearby. Big names seen strolling the track included Jeff Bezos, Roger Federer, J. Balvin, Elon Musk, Jake Paul, and Paolo Banchero. Beyond the stars, the grounds were loaded with local outposts, adding more Miami pizzazz to the experience. Among them were roller-skating spectacles at the Monkey Shoulder whiskey setup, free-flowing cocktails at the SipSip x Coconut Cartel rum bar, and Casa Tua had an intimate and chic live music set-up with a neon sign above boasting “Be unpredictable, be real, be interesting, tell a good story.”