Kimi Antonelli Proves He’s The Real Deal At The 2026 Miami Grand Prix

The Miami Grand Prix delivered another solid race weekend and overall fan experience at the Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida. In previous years, we saw Max Verstappen slice through the pack from P10 to claim a victory that started his record-setting 2023 run. We saw Lando Norris secure his long-overdue maiden victory in 2024, where he’d start the first challenge to Verstappen’s two years of utter domination. And last year we were treated to early battles between Verstappen and both McLaren drivers, wherein Oscar Piastri came out on top and decisively shifted the momentum in his championship battle with Norris. Indeed, Miami has proven to be the key pivot point for F1 storylines, and this year was no exception.

The 2026 Miami Grand Prix will forever be known as the race where a future World Drivers’ Champion (WDC) was born. In just his second year in Formula 1 at the age of 19, Kimi Antonelli has all-but proved he will one day secure an F1 driver’s title. And it could be as soon as this season. His victory in Miami puts him 20 points ahead of teammate George Russell in the WDC standings. In China and Japan, Russell’s losses were written off as bad luck due to technical issues and an ill-timed safety car. I also suggested in my criticisms of the 2026 regulations that Russell’s superior skill had been neutered by the lack of flat-out driving, particularly in braking zones. However, Antonelli’s dominance on Saturday and Sunday in Miami suggest a different narrative: he’s the real deal. Much like Lewis Hamilton was the real deal in his 2007 rookie year.

After a forced five-week break, there were plenty of storylines to track as Formula 1 descended on South Florida. When it comes to the new regulations, I’ve said my peace. F1 and the FIA made a handful of tweaks. These netted marginal improvements, though the quality of racing we saw in Miami compared to previous races was more to do with the track layout. We still saw significant losses of speed aka super clipping on the long back straight (when batteries run dry), and drivers continue to voice concerns over dangerous closing speeds. We saw a handful of y0-yo overtakes, and the starts are only exciting because it’s anyone’s guess who will get away without bogging down, and no one seems to be able to explain why (other than perhaps smaller Ferrari turbos). Otherwise, the overall racing spectacle and the battles between Charles Leclerc, Norris, Piastri, Verstappen and Antonelli gave us all something to cheer about. Verstappen’s perfectly executed 360 out of turn two during the start was also an incredible demonstration of skill and poise—a move he’s executed several times during his career but this time with cars on all sides and only losing a couple positions. It was my key race highlight of the weekend.

As for attending the Miami Grand Prix, it is one of the best races of the season in terms of on-track activations and off-track action. Miami’s increasing traffic problem doesn’t make any of it easy, especially if you choose to stay in Miami Beach. Which is desirable for so many reasons. It just means a tradeoff in the amount of time you’ll spend getting back and forth to the track. The schedule can also be challenging if you’re thinking about nightlife; it just makes for an incredibly long day. Contrast this with Las Vegas, where the racing takes place at night, and you can seamlessly transition to nightlife while sleeping during the daylight hours.

I had initially (and somewhat ambitiously) intended to see the DJ/producer duo Adriatique at LIV Miami on Friday followed by Rampa at Factory Town Saturday and Afrojack at E11EVEN for the official afterparty on Sunday. And these were just three of dozens of top-tier shows throughout the weekend. Alas, after partying all day at the track and barely making it to dinners, I didn’t make any of these. The good news, however, is that several of Miami’s top restaurants transition to club environments.

The Concourse Club Lounge

More than any other race venue I’ve been to, the Miami International Autodrome offers an incredible array of viewing experiences that rival the gold-standard Paddock Club. Which is to say there are a number of alternatives to the $20,000+ Paddock Club passes that offer similar overall experiences. Miami’s Concourse Club offers one of the better activations. If you’re unfamiliar, the Concourse Club is a premier “automotive resort” located just 20 minutes from Hard Rock Stadium in Opa-locka, Florida. If you’re unfamiliar with the category, it’s like a golf club but with a race track instead of a golf course. The Thermal Club is its West-Coast counterpart, where Verstappen is rumored to be a member. It makes sense, then, that the an automotive resort would have a two-story, 10,000-square-foot lounge facility at the Miami Grand Prix that is available exclusively to its members and invited guests. It’s a bit like being a member of Augusta and having premier access to the Masters.

The Lounge is located at the big, Turn-3 sweeper aka where Leclerc spun in the final laps. A daily shuttle runs every half hour from the club and drops guests just outside the Turn 3 bridge, making it as convenient as can be. The lower level is climate controlled and features a hidden speakeasy (behind a bookcase door), where a top-tier omakase experience awaits. The upper level is an open-air party atmosphere with a wall-sized TV and a dedicated commentator with the play-by-play action. There are bars on both levels with a variety of different seating options, all of which feature convenient QR-code ordering. Finally, my colleague Ray Costa set the vibes all weekend with house-music sets in between the race sessions. I have to give the Concourse Club credit for how the DJ booth and in-suite entertainment were integrated to the experience, which further set it apart from the Paddock Club. It was clearly approached as a priority, which made all the difference.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach

For my first Miami Grand Prix experience in 2023, Fontainebleau Miami Beach converted its pool complex into a massive, outdoor nightclub with Martin Garrix headlining. There were floating platforms on the pool. Lights and lasers lit up all three of the property’s white towers. It was one of the better shows I’ve ever seen in Miami, and the photos I have bring the memories right back. Since then, Fontainebleau Miami Beach has been one of the key party venues for Grand Prix weekends.

For 2026, the property featured an Aston Martin F1 car in the lobby and a Red Bull Racing F1 car at the departures area. It also hosted a large F1 activation with Heineken. So the F1 vibes were present throughout. One of the big advantages if you’re looking for nightlife is the fact that LIV Miami is on property and also featured John Summit on Saturday (who was joined in the booth by Jessica Alba), James Hype on Thursday and 50 Cent on Sunday. Again, Miami traffic can be a huge disincentive to venture out, and none of Miami’s other premier clubs are co-located at a five-star resort hotel.

Prime 54 is the property’s steakhouse restaurant, and the latest (semi-secret) offering is a chef’s table experience for up to six people. It’s bartop seating located within the kitchen itself, where guests are served a multi-course meal (with the choice of wine or cocktail parings) prepared by none other than Chef Andrew Zarzoa himself. The quality of conversation is exceeded only by the food itself, which the chef prepares right in front of you as the rest of the kitchen operates as usual. When it comes to impressing a date, few other Miami dining experiences can rival this one.

Given the travel times and distances to the track, I decided to skip the in-person action on Saturday and instead spent the day on a daybed at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach pool. I went back to the room to watch the Sprint Race and Qualifying on Apple TV but otherwise enjoyed the Miami sun and a few poolside piña coladas. My determination is that going to the track three days in a row from Miami Beach is one day too many and that a pool day is the ideal alternative.

That said, I’d recommend reserving a car service for most if not all of your ground transportation needs. It eliminates the uncertainty of ride sharing, and the overall experience is more comfortable and accommodating i.e. connecting to Bluetooth and playing your own music. Whenever I’m in Miami, I hire Samer Elmahdi (‭305-903-5253‬) and his driver network.

Amazónico & Selva

After arriving in Miami on Thursday morning and catching up on sleep lost from a redeye flight, my first dining experience found me at Amazónico Miami, which is one of five locations that also include Dubai, Monte Carlo, Madrid and London. The open-air, jungle-themed concept offers a party atmosphere with a variety of sushi dishes and the best espresso martinis I’ve ever had.

The restaurant is connected to Selva nightclub, which makes for a seamless transition from dinner to a very intimate and upscale club venue, which is a stark contrast to Miami’s younger-leaning clubs. For the F1 weekend, Selva partnered with Gospel NY for a private party featuring Kaz James, Vanjee, and resident Monobase. It was pure class with deep house, velvet couches and exotic go-go dancers. Plus, it started early, which was ideal for getting home in time to rest for the next day of F1 track action.

La Ferenteria Rooftop

La Ferenteria is a rooftop restaurant (the best kind) that offers a spectacular Italian menu with highlights including the carpaccio di monzo, tagiolini lobster pasta, cavatelli al funghi pasta and the pesce alla donostiarra (whole branzino).

Following dinner, it transitions to a rooftop nightclub (the best kind) with local DJs and the option of table and bottle service. Again, I found that the seamless transition from dinner to nightclub is a key feature for managing the tight, busy and sleep-deprived schedule that is the Miami Grand Prix.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com