Among the many celebrities who descended on South Beach for the Formula One Miami Grand Prix was former President Trump.
The 45th president and the 2024 Republican presidential candidate was seen waving to fans and saluting during the national anthem prior to the third annual Grand Prix starting.
Trump was also seen walking through the stadium tunnels and taking time to acknowledge media as he walked through the venue.
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Trump’s deputy communications chief Margo Martin shared videos of him on X, one of which showed a crowd chanting “U-S-A” as he arrived outside the McLaren Racing garage on pit lane.
As the race began, Martin also showed Trump staring toward the racetrack while wearing his signature red “Make America Great Again” hat.
Trump was just one of many big names in Miami for the Formula One race, as Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Patrick Mahomes were among the celebrities on hand.
Tom Garfinkel, Miami Dolphins CEO and managing general partner of the Formula One Miami Grand Prix, did not disclose if Trump or any other celebrities would be seen at the race due to security reasons.
“I’m not allowed to disclose the attendees for security and privacy reasons,” Garfinkel said, per USA Today. “We don’t talk about communications with people, but I will say that there won’t be any fundraisers at the event.”
Controversy did come prior to Trump’s arrival as one of his supporters, Steve Witkoff, wanted to sell his tickets to his suite at the Paddock Club for $250,000, which would go toward Trump’s 2024 campaign. However, that was shot down quickly by race officials, who sent Witkoff a letter.
“Political campaigning has its place, and it is not at our race,” a letter released on social media reads. “We welcome you and your guests to attend our event and enjoy your suite. However, we respectfully request it be done in compliance with our very clear license agreement.”
Trump and everyone else watched a thrilling race in which McLaren’s Lando Norris upset the favorite, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, to win his first-ever Grand Prix.
It’s been seen that during the Sunday of the Miami Grand Prix weekend, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the McLaren team garage drew significant attention and controversy. McLaren has since issued a statement clarifying their position, emphasizing their non-political nature while respecting the presidential office.
The paddocks of Formula 1 are often met by dignitaries and celebrities, but it’s not every day that a figure as polarizing as former President Donald Trump makes an appearance. During the Miami Grand Prix, Trump’s visit to the McLaren garage stirred up more than just the Florida heat. Amidst a backdrop of his ongoing legal challenges, the visit was seen by some as controversial, prompting McLaren to defend their decision to welcome him.
Trump, who is campaigning for the 2024 presidential election, was joined by several high-profile racing and political figures including Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing; Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President; Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 CEO; and Greg Maffei, CEO of Liberty Media. This ensemble underscored the significance of his visit, which was more than just a casual walkthrough.
In response to widespread discussion and scrutiny, McLaren released a detailed statement explaining their stance, as quoted by The Race. The statement read:
“McLaren is a non-political organisation however we recognise and respect the office of President of the United States so when the request was made to visit our garage on race day we accepted alongside the president of the FIA and the CEO’s of Liberty Media and Formula 1. We were honoured that McLaren Racing was chosen as the representative of F1 which gave us the opportunity to showcase the world class engineering that we bring to motorsport.”
This visit came at a time when Trump was concurrently facing a trial in New York related to allegations of falsifying documents about a hush money payment. Despite the legal distractions, Trump’s presence at the Miami GP was notable, especially as a planned $250,000-per-ticket fundraiser, intended to be held in the exclusive Paddock Club, was blocked by race organizers.
Apart from Trump, the event attracted other stars like British singer Ed Sheeran and NFL icon Patrick Mahomes, highlighting the broad appeal of Formula 1 beyond just the racing community.
The organizers of the Miami Grand Prix had reportedly cautioned against Trump’s arrival but his attendance went ahead as planned, showcasing the complex dynamics at play when global sports and political figures intersect at such public and international events.
McLaren have explained the reason behind former US president Donald Trump’s visit to their garage at the F1 Miami Grand Prix.
The 45th president of the United States was a surprise guest at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium ahead of Sunday’s grand prix, causing a paparazzi frenzy.
Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 election, was seen visiting McLaren’s garage, where he spoke with the British team’s CEO Zak Brown, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1/Liberty Media CEOS.
Following the visit, McLaren released a statement which read: “McLaren is a non-political organisation however we recognise and respect the office of President of the United States so when the request was made to visit our garage on race day we accepted alongside the president of the FIA and the CEO’s of Liberty Media and Formula 1.
“We were honoured that McLaren Racing was chosen as the representative of F1 which gave us the opportunity to showcase the world class engineering that we bring to motorsport.”
Security surrounding the event in Florida was stepped up following Trump’s decision to visit the event.
The 77-year-old is currently on trial in New York after being charged with 34 counts of fraud, relating to hush-money that was paid to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty and argues the allegations he faces are not criminal.
