MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Observing the enthusiastic crowd from ground level at the Miami International Autodrome, former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield pondered, “Are they cheering for me?” Looking up at the tiered balconies packed with hundreds of Formula 1 fans, he saw them leaning over railings, shouting down into the paddock in hopes of catching the attention of celebrities arriving for the fourth Miami Grand Prix.
“Nah, man, that ain`t for me. I`m not young enough and cool enough for this crowd,” the 62-year-old `Real Deal` remarked with a smile, gesturing towards a swirling mob surrounding a figure hidden within. “Like that guy is.”
“That guy” turned out to be 29-year-old actor Timothée Chalamet, known for films like `Dune`. Indeed, the predominantly young crowd enthusiastically cheered for the young star.
However, not even the acclaimed actor could match the sudden, high-pitched shrieks elicited by the sight of the even younger men on their way to compete.
As each race car driver emerged from their team headquarters, winding through the crowds towards the garages, the volume of the audible admiration seemed directly linked to their age.
“It is good to be young and fast,” observed 85-year-old Sir Jackie Stewart, watching 25-year-old Lando Norris and his McLaren team pass by amidst shouts of “LANDO! LANDO! LOOK UP HERE!” The three-time world champion added, “That`s the proper way to describe Formula 1 right now: young and fast.”
Just a few hours later, the race results underscored the legend`s point. Norris finished second to his teammate Oscar Piastri, 24, further solidifying their positions at the top of the drivers` championship standings. They were joined on the podium by Mercedes` George Russell, followed by reigning world champion Max Verstappen, both aged 27. Alex Albon, relatively older at 29, finished ahead of Kimi Antonelli, who just two days prior, set the record for the youngest F1 racer to ever secure a pole position.
Antonelli will not celebrate his 19th birthday until late August.
“I spent 15 years trying to get my kids to watch F1 with me on Sunday mornings and they were always like, `Shut up, Dad, it`s boring and we want to sleep in!`” said Miami resident Oscar Martinez, 48, relaxing in the upper deck of Hard Rock Stadium. He watched the race on the massive screens inside the venue, while the stadium seats vibrated from the real action unfolding around them. He pointed down two rows to his teenage son and daughter, both clad in McLaren`s signature papaya colors and completely captivated by the race outside. “Now, they come wake me up on Sunday mornings to watch F1 and these tickets were the only Christmas presents they wanted.” He then called out loud enough for them to hear, “She has the biggest crush on Oscar!”
“Dad, shut up!”
See? Young. And, echoing Mr. Holyfield, cool. In its 75-year history, Formula 1 has never been this popular in the United States, nor has it ever grown so rapidly among younger demographics.
American interest in F1 has surged dramatically since the summer of 2020, when people confined to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic discovered the existing streaming series “Drive to Survive.” Suddenly, a sport previously cherished by a dedicated but somewhat niche and older audience became a source of fascination for millions who hadn`t known the difference between a safety car and a dance move.
Amidst a global fanbase estimated at 750 million people, approximately 42% are under the age of 35 – numbers that are the envy of U.S.-based motorsport series like NASCAR and IndyCar. F1 claims that half of its American fans began following the sport within the past five years, adding over 20 million new supporters, with the fastest-growing segment being females aged 16 to 24.
It might be easy to dismiss these figures as marketing spin from an organization eager to boost its image. However, anyone who spent time in the grandstands at the Miami International Autodrome on Sunday found plenty of firsthand evidence to support these assertions.
“When I was a kid, my father dragged me to this stadium to watch Dan Marino play because he said he wanted me to be able to say I`d seen the greatest quarterback who ever lived,” Lisa Donato of Fort Lauderdale shouted over the roar of the cars, perched on one of Hard Rock Stadium`s spiral ramps. “I didn`t want to at first but ended up becoming a lifelong fan. I even have a No. 13 tattoo. Now I come to this same stadium with my kids and they love (27-year-old Ferrari driver) Charles Leclerc. Now my daughter wants a Ferrari tattoo. But I said she isn`t old enough yet!”
“Nothing makes us happier than to see not just young people, but families, here together,” said Tom Garfinkel, who oversees the Miami Grand Prix and is also vice chairman, president and CEO of the stadium`s most famous tenant, the Miami Dolphins. He noted the recent announcement of a landmark 10-year contract extension, securing the Miami GP through 2041. “The Formula 1 audience has become so much broader, everywhere, but here in the United States it`s been dramatic. We aren`t the reason for that, but we are proud to be a part of that reason.”
The 1980s and `90s saw few F1 events held in the United States. This was followed by years of infrequent, one-off visits. Now, the country hosts three races per year, with Miami in the spring and events in Austin, Texas, and Las Vegas in the fall. Despite past discussions about other American cities wanting to host F1 weekends, it appears this trio will remain the lineup for the foreseeable future. The Circuit of the Americas in Austin holds a contract through next season, while Las Vegas is signed on through 2032.
Judging by the enthusiasm of the young people leaning over the rails and the just-as-young drivers they were cheering for, America`s youth are captivated by the racing spectacle. And there are no signs they`ll lose interest anytime soon. This was loudly underlined when Piastri secured his fourth win of the season and sixth GP victory in nine months, the resulting cheers from the grandstands temporarily matching the roar of the twenty 1,000-horsepower machines on the track.
“You can feel that energy, no doubt. I know that I do, and I`m certainly no youngster,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner commented on Friday, speaking about the youthful energy prevalent in the paddock and surrounding areas. He is the employer of Verstappen and his 24-year-old teammate, Yuki Tsunoda. “The fans, they feed off it from us, but we also feed off of it from them.”
As Sir Jackie Stewart wisely observed, in the world of Formula 1 today, it`s truly good to be young — and fast.
