The cost to eat, Miami’s purpose and American drivers: a Miami Grand Prix notebook

Yes, people who shelled out hundreds of dollars just to get on the grounds of Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix sessions can still afford to eat without maxing the credit cards or falling behind on the mortgage.

As long as they don’t sit down in the same sweet suite as NASCAR drivers, that is.

READ MORE: Street closures and parking information for the Miami Grand Prix

Friday’s break the internet sports moment might’ve been just a static shot of a menu. NASCAR Xfinity series driver Ryan Ellis’ posted to X a menu from the Miami Grand Prix featuring $280 lobster rolls, a $170 “Empanada Duo” bottles of tequila and Jack Daniels over $1,000 and similarly overpriced items with “F1 is a little more expensive than NASCAR.”

A later post showed the alcohol side of the menu, which included a $3,600 bottle of rose champagne and bottles of tequila and Jack Daniels over $1,000 each.

A couple of digital outlets picked up the post and ran the replies, many of which excoriated the excess. At least two digital outlets picked up the story as an example of snooty, pricey F1 vs. regular folks NASCAR, which, like IndyCar, lets fans bring in coolers with food and drink. Sports business reporter Darren Rovell reposted Ellis’ menu photos.

But, a few sharp folks, perhaps noting Ellis’ previous post showing his fantastic track view from a cabana suite, said those prices are for those who can afford such a suite. Food for the hoi polloi is more appropriately priced.

A short walk across part of the Miami International Autodrome campus found water at $6, exactly what it was for the Miami Open in March. A Jack and Coke went for $16 for a single shot, $23 for a double shot, about what you’d pay at a Florida Panthers game. A 16-ounce Heineken went for $13 to $16.

As for food, the Cilandro 27 food truck had a shrimp, carnitas or chicken quesadilla for $18, fish, shrimp, carnitas or chicken tacos for $18. A slice of margherita pizza at Editor Pizza was $13. A footlong hot dog at the 300 Level concession stands was $12. A Sushi Maki Sparkling Salmon Poke Bowl was $24.

In other words, the food gouging common at modern sports events.

Miami vs. Las Vegas vs. Austin

Though Formula 1 now has U.S. races in Las Vegas and Austin, Texas, Williams team principal James Vowles said Miami shouldn’t consider itself in competition with the other venues.

“All three are completely different,” Vowles said. “There’s no real similarities about them. Fundametnally, they’re different spectacles.”

He gestured to his fellow team principals, McLaren’s Zach Brown, Red Bull’s Laurent Mekies and Aston Martin’s Mike Krack and said, “For all of us here, Miami is now for partners, for evenings, for effectively bringing in outside interests to the sport.”

Sargeant vs. Albon

One competition Vowles did acknowledge this week is that Fort Lauderdale’s Logan Sargeant, the lone U.S. driver in Formula 1, needs to start outqualifying and outperfoming teammate Alex Albon instead of being a tenth of a second slower.

READ MORE: Fort Lauderdale’s Logan Sargeant still has his F1 seat — for now, Williams head says

Friday, Sargeant outqualified Albon for the F1 Sprint race, 1:29.551 to 1:29.858 and finished 10th to Albon’s 13th, Saturday. But, in qualifying for Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix, Sargeant got knocked out in the first round of qualifying as one of the five slowest drivers while Albon made it through to the second round.

F1 Academy Race 1

One American who had a good Saturday was Chloe Chambers in the F1 Academy’s first race of the weekend. Chambers, supported by the Haas team, qualified seventh, then moved up to a third-place finish in the 13-lap race behind winner and series leader Abbi Pulling of Great Britain and second place Doriane Pin of France.

Chambers came into the weekend sixth in the points after the F1 Academy’s first two races, in Saudi Arabia. The second race of this weekend will be Sunday at 1:05 p.m.

American Lia Block, supported by Williams, spun on Lap 7 before recovering to finish 15th of 16 drivers, 40.4 seconds behind Pulling.

Sunday schedule

10:30 a.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup North America, Second Race

11:55 a.m.: Formula 1 Pirelli Hot Laps

1:05 p.m.: F1 Academy, Second Race

2 p.m.: Formula 1 Drivers Praade

4 p.m.: Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix