Before Formula 1 cars race around Hard Rock Stadium this weekend, they will roar through Coconut Grove during a McLaren show run on Wednesday.

Why it matters: It's one of the many free fan events happening this week around the Miami Grand Prix, proof that what happens off the track is almost as exciting as the race itself.

How it works: The Grand Prix weekend runs Friday-Sunday, with the race on Sunday at 4pm.

• There will be practice and qualifying sessions Friday and Saturday, and a sprint race on Saturday.
• Formula 2 and F1 Academy, the female racing league, will also race in Miami this weekend.

Watch parties and driver sightings

🏁 McLaren Racing Live: Miami (Wed-Sun): The reigning F1 Constructors' Champions will run cars on Pan American Drive in Coconut Grove for a live demo near Regatta Harbour as part of a free fan fest.

• Tickets for the demo are sold out, but creative fans might find a way to watch from a nearby vantage point. (Sign up for the waitlist.)
• The rest of the fan fest doesn't require a ticket and will feature car displays, race simulators, drinks and food, as well as live race broadcasts.
• Hours: Wednesday, 4pm-11:30pm; Thursday-Friday, 12pm-10pm; Saturday 11am-10pm; Sunday 12pm-7pm.

🏎️ Miami Grand Prix Fan Fest (Wed-Sun): F1 hits Lummus Park in South Beach for a free event featuring race broadcasts, driver appearances and F1 show cars.

• Also: Slot-car racing, a pit-stop challenge and food and drink options.
• Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 2pm-6pm; Friday-Sunday, 12pm-6pm.

🙌 Racing Fan Fest (Thurs-Sun): The annual F1 event at Wynwood Marketplace features a new Miami Fan Zone with the Atlassian Williams F1 Team.

• On Wednesday and Thursday, catch live Q&As with Williams driver Carlos Sainz, team principal James Vowles, reserve driver Luke Browning and former F1 champion Damon Hill. (Must download Williams app and pre-register.)
• Sainz will speak Wednesday at 6pm, the others Thursday from 4:45pm.
• There will also be a Williams showcar, racing simulators, race broadcasts, DJ performances and food and drink options.
• Fan Fest hours: Thursday from 4pm-midnight; Friday from 4pm-3am; Saturday from noon-3am; Sunday from noon-midnight. (RSVP)

🪩 Audi Revolut F1 Team Miami Experience (Thurs-Sun): The team takes over Wynwood's MAPS Backlot with DJ sessions, race simulators and live broadcasts.

• Driver Gabriel Bortoleto will make an appearance Thursday evening. CEO and team principal Mattia Binotto will greet fans Friday evening.
• RSVP.
• Hours: Thursday 12pm-9pm; Friday 12pm-10pm; Saturday 11pm-9pm; Sunday 12pm-10pm.

Story continues 👇

🇨🇴 Ex-Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya and his F2 driver son Sebastián Montoya will appear at Andrés Carne de Res Miami on Wednesday.

• The event starts at 5pm. Q&A at 9pm.

⛽️ Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB) Formula One Team driver Arvid Lindblad will stop by a Miami Gardens gas station Wednesday to set a fast-lap time on a racing simulator.

• Mobil station on 18301 NW 27th Ave.
• 3pm-7pm. Free.

🗣️ Red Bull Racing reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda will do a Q&A at the University of Miami on Thursday.

• Watsco Center, 11am.
• Free with RSVP.

📕 F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff will discuss her forthcoming memoir "Driven" at the Apple Aventura Store on Saturday.

• The Apple TV event will feature a Cadillac F1 show car, a sprint qualifying broadcast and a live DJ set.
• It starts at 4:30pm. Wolff will speak at 6:30pm.
• Sign up here.

More events

🥩 1986 Steak House, from Grupo Orfano, is opening on the ground level of the Mayfair plaza in Coconut Grove next week. (Miami Herald)

• The cocktail program was created by the team at Tres Monos, a Buenos Aires bar that ranks No. 10 in the world.

✅ Six of eight referendums in Coral Gable's elections passed last week, including an effort to move its April elections in odd years to November of even years to align with state and national elections. (Miami Herald)

• Just 28% of the city's voters cast a ballot.

⚖️ A company that owned part of the demolished Deauville resort is suing Terra CEO David Martin for $100 million, claiming the developer severely undervalued the price of the property when they sold part of its interest. (South Florida Business Journal)

🤑 The Village of Key Biscayne faces a price tag of $8 million in sunk costs for a project to replumb the island that never began. (Key Biscayne Independent)

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Last year's Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend welcomed an impressive number of high-profile attendees — even for a city that's used to celeb sightings.

Why it matters: It doesn't! But it's a fun way to see who attended last year and prepare for who you may see out and around town this week.

• Even serious journalists love a little celebrity gossip!

State of play: Stars like Timmy Chalamet, Jon Bon Jovi, Rob Gronkowski, Daddy Yankee, Nicola Coughlan, Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Becky G and Lisa, of Blackpink, were all sighted at Hard Rock Stadium.

• At American Express' CARBONE BEACH event, stars like T-Pain, Busta Rhymes and Lauren Hill performed for a crowd, Rolling Stone reported.
• In Brickell, Sofi Tukker, Tibaland and Fat Joe took over the restaurant Delilah, per the outlet.

What we're watching: Will we get a Kim Kardashian sighting? She and driver Lewis Hamilton have recently sparked dating rumors.

So you've got your F1 tickets. What's the best way to get to Hard Rock Stadium?

• If you don't want to pay for parking, you can take free shuttles there.

Why it matters: Avoiding stadium traffic will add months back to your life.

Free shuttles

🚍 Hard Rock is offering free shuttles from Lot 70 (Hard Rock Casino), Lot 95 (Golden Glades Transit Center) and Lot 60 (Broward College-South Campus).

• Rideshare users: Race organizers suggest ordering your ride from here to avoid congestion.
• Tri-Rail riders: Stop at the Golden Glades station and take the Lot 95 shuttle.
• If you're driving to these lots, you do have to pay a parking fee.

Brightline station shuttles

• Hard Rock is also organizing shuttles from the Brightline Aventura Station for both ticketed riders and fans in general who need a ride, per a spokesperson.
• Full shuttle schedule.

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