General admission lets you hangout and watch in a few different zones around the track (even some small, raised platforms), but none offer the sort of comprehensive track views one might get at a race like Austin or more traditional European racing venues. In Miami, you’re either standing near the fence, or peering over others standing near the fence, making a grandstand seat essentially a requirement to enjoy ideal views of the action. It’s just the reality of the situation when you have an almost entirely flat track, as all the best racing is not going to be seen from street level. For those reasons, I think Austin is the place to go in the U.S. for the best views and racing atmosphere. Massive grassy knolls give way to expansive track views while hordes of passionate F1 fans get there early and crowd in – somehow pretty much everyone can still end up with great racing views.
Now, if you’re into an F1 racing weekend that has a healthy helping of big-name artists – Ed Sheeran, Steve Aoki and Don Omar performed this year – then Miami might be the place for you. “The Hard Rock Beach Club” on the far side of the track is where all the music concerts go down, and it’s home to the viral food prices you might’ve seen circulating on social media. Seeing $190 chicken wings, $280 lobster rolls and $400 for one ounce of caviar on a menu is enough to induce massive outrage. That said, race organizers made it clear that those posts lacked context, as the prices are to feed a suite of people. Autosport reported that Hard Rock Stadium president and CEO Tom Garfinkel said that you’d pay said price and have enough of that food to feed around 10 people. Now, that still breaks down to $28 per person for a serving of a lobster roll, but it’s far more in line with typical sports event pricing. It’s also in line with what the folks in that area might be able to afford – tickets at the Beach Club ranged from $1,750-$65,000 depending on how large of a space you booked. That might sound like crazy money, but it’s the kind of clientele F1 is trying to sell to. Plus, there are plenty of more reasonable ticket options for general admission or normal grandstands – a three-day “Campus Pass” (general admission) was $450 this year.
