The Miami GP was a great spectacle even if the track was a dud

Anytime a sporting event bills itself as “the Super Bowl of” its kind, the pressure to pay that off will be immense. But in terms of spectacle Formula 1’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix more than lived up to the outsized billing. The fake marina, the poolside mermaids and other kitschy touches were a hit. People from all races and cultures turned up in droves, dressed to kill. Female fans trooped out in force. The sun was out, the vibe was Instagram ready and there was nary a confederate flag in sight. Nascar, eat your heart out.

By the time Gabrielle Union, David Beckham, Kathryn Hahn and Mila Kunis rolled through the Miami Gardens paddock last Sunday for what some were calling MotorCoachella, the crowd had swelled to around 85,000; a staggering number of them were adorned in the latest fashions from Ferrari, Aston Martin and Williams. In the end they got their considerable money’s worth. It hardly mattered that the race itself was big, fat dud.

Face it: besides the championship games involving Tom Brady – who was on hand for Sunday’s GP, too – most modern day Super Bowls have been yawn-inducing one-sided affairs. Sunday’s title fight between pole sitter Charles Leclerc and defending champion Max Verstappen was no different.

Naturally, it appeared early on as if this main event would make for a much closer clash in styles, with Ferrari’s cornering prowess pitted against Red Bull’s straight-ahead speed. But once they got rolling Verstappen quickly leapfrogged Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and reeled in Leclerc on the way to opening up a massive lead. If not for a lap 41 caution, Verstappen might’ve authored the worst Miami Super Bowl drubbing since the 49ers ran roughshod over the Chargers in 1995. Verstappen, who arrived at the