MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Standing at the ground level of the Miami International Autodrome, former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield looked up at the multi-tiered balconies packed with hundreds of Formula 1 fans. “Are they cheering for me?” he wondered aloud.
The 62-year-old “Real Deal” chuckled, shaking his head. “Nah man, that ain`t for me. I`m not young or cool enough for this crowd,” he said, pointing to a throng swirling around a figure hidden within. “Like that guy is.”
That figure was Timothée Chalamet, the popular 29-year-old actor known for films like `Dune`. As expected, the predominantly young crowd roared with enthusiasm for the young star.
Yet, even the acclaimed actor couldn`t match the intensity of the high-pitched screams that erupted for the even younger men arriving to start their work.
As each Formula 1 driver emerged from their team headquarters located within Hard Rock Stadium`s field and made their way towards the garages, the level of audible admiration seemed directly proportional to their age.
“It is good to be young and fast,” remarked Sir Jackie Stewart, 85, observing 25-year-old Lando Norris navigating the crowd 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.”
A few hours later, the race results underlined Stewart`s point. Oscar Piastri, 24, finished first, followed by his teammate Lando Norris, 25. George Russell, 27, joined them on the podium, ahead of reigning champion Max Verstappen, also 27, and Alex Albon, considered “relatively ancient” at 29. Even younger was Kimi Antonelli, who, despite not turning 19 until August, had secured the youngest pole position ever on Friday.
“I spent 15 years trying to get my kids to watch F1 with me on Sunday mornings, and they`d always say, `Shut up, Dad, it`s boring, we want to sleep in!`” shared Miami resident Oscar Martinez, 48. He gestured to his teenage son and daughter, both dressed in McLaren colors and absorbed in the race unfolding around Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins. “Now, they wake *me* up on Sunday mornings to watch F1, and these tickets were the only Christmas presents they wanted.” He added, loud enough for them to hear, “She has the biggest crush on Oscar!”
“Dad, shut up!” came the predictable teenage response.
Indeed. It`s young, and as Mr. Holyfield noted, it`s cool. Never before in its 75-year history has the world`s premier motorsport been this popular in the United States, and certainly never has it grown so rapidly among young demographics.
The surge in American interest in F1 since the summer of 2020 is widely attributed to the streaming series `Drive to Survive`. Stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, millions discovered the show and subsequently, a sport previously loved by a dedicated but niche, often older, audience suddenly became a curiosity for those who once couldn`t distinguish a safety car from the Safety Dance.
Out of a global fanbase estimated at 750 million, approximately 42% are under the age of 35 – numbers that inspire envy in US-based series like NASCAR and IndyCar. F1 reports that half of its American fans started watching within the last five years, with over 20 million new followers and females aged 16-24 representing the fastest-growing segment.
While these statistics could be dismissed as marketing efforts, anyone who witnessed the crowds in the Miami International Autodrome grandstands on Sunday found ample firsthand evidence supporting these claims.
“When I was a kid, my father dragged me to this stadium to watch Dan Marino because he wanted me to be able to say I`d seen the greatest quarterback ever,” shouted Lisa Donato of Fort Lauderdale over the roar of cars, speaking from a spiral ramp at Hard Rock Stadium. “I was reluctant at first but ended up a lifelong fan, even getting a No. 13 tattoo. Now I come to this same stadium with my kids, and they love Charles Leclerc,” referring to the 27-year-old Ferrari driver. “Now my daughter wants a Ferrari tattoo! I told her she`s not 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 Miami Dolphins. He noted F1`s dramatically broadened audience, especially in the US, adding that they are proud to be part of the reason for this growth, particularly following Friday`s announcement of a 10-year contract extension keeping the Miami GP active through 2041.
After periods in the 1980s and `90s with few or no US races, followed by years of one-off visits, the United States now hosts three Formula 1 events annually: Miami in the spring, and Austin, Texas, and Las Vegas in the fall. While other cities have expressed interest, this trio appears to be the established lineup for the foreseeable future, with Austin contracted through next season, Las Vegas through 2032, and Miami now through 2041.
Judging by the throngs of young fans leaning over railings and the equally young drivers they were cheering for, it`s clear that American kids are captivated by Formula 1, and there`s little sign of that changing soon. This was loudly emphasized when Piastri secured his win, resulting in cheers from the Hard Rock Stadium grandstands that momentarily matched the roar of the twenty 1,000-horsepower machines on track.
“You can feel that energy, no doubt. I know that I do, and I`m certainly no youngster,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner on Friday, commenting on the youthful atmosphere surrounding the paddock. He employs Max 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 Stewart aptly put it, it`s good to be young — and fast.
Rupert Caldwell 
Tristan Blackwood