Speed Read: 3 Things You Didn’t Know About the Miami Grand Prix

2025 completely rebuilt what a drivers’ parade could be 

Chances are that you've already seen the epic drivers parade at the Miami International Autodrome, where 10 life-sized LEGO replicas took to the track. Made of approximately 400,000 bricks each and weighing over 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) each, these fully driveable assemblies of building block brilliance created one of the most memorable moments of the 2025 season, with Lewis Hamilton describing it as, “the most fun drivers’ parade we’ve ever had."

The drivers’ parade is a staple part of any grand prix Sunday. Taking place about two hours before the start of the race itself, the parade is a chance for the fans to see the drivers. Usually the grid will hop on the back of a few flatbed trucks on cruise around in vintage or historic cars. But Miami represented a shift away from this and more towards pure entertainment, with fans praising the format on social media and the drivers clearly having the time of their lives as they raced around the circuit (albeit somewhat slowly… these things max out at about 12 mph or 20 km/h).

And this positive reception–from athletes and audience alike–seems to have been loud enough that a new trend has emerged with more and more tracks putting on creative drivers’ parades. The 2025 Brazilian Grand Prix, which had teammates squeezing into tiny soapbox cars, and the 2026 season opener in Australia featuring Mini Mokes come to mind. Both brought some hilarious on-track moments and, while it is still too early to tell, could indicate a shift towards how the drivers’ parade is viewed by both the race organizers and the fans. And it all started with LEGO cars in Miami. 

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2023 was an extremely rare full house finish

If you’ve never heard the term full house in reference to F1, that’s because it is a fairly rare occurrence. A full house happens when every car that starts a specific race also finishes it. No retirements, no DNF, everyone takes the checkered flag.

This was the case at the 2023 Miami Grand Prix, during which all 20 cars made it across the finish line. In fact, it was just the eleventh time in the history of the sport that a true full house happened (there have been some more races where all starters were classified, however, due to drivers retiring after having already completed over 90% of the total number of laps). 

What makes Miami stand out is that 2023 was only the second time ever that this particular race 

was held. This means that at the time, it was still a relatively new circuit that the drivers were getting accustomed to driving on. On top of that, its debut run saw five cars retire, with the track being criticized for having an extremely slippery surface with very little grip. So all things considered, many were likely going into the 2023 race expecting multiple retirements, making this result all the more unique.

Interestingly, since the 2023 Miami race we have had seven more true full house finishes, speaking to the increased safety and reliability of F1 races and cars.

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The race that kick-started Lando Norris’s rise to the top

Every F1 driver remembers their maiden win, and undoubtedly Lando Norris will always look fondly back on the 2024 Miami Grand Prix as his. His excellent driving and a tiny dash of luck from the timing of a safety car resulted in him being the first across the finish line on his 110th race start.

But this race wasn't just a one-off or a lucky fluke. It marked the beginning of a rivalry between Norris and then reigning world champion Max Verstappen. While Verstappen maintained a lead in the Drivers' Championship throughout the year, this race cemented Norris as a formidable challenger who was able to put the pressure on Verstappen at various points in the season. Indeed, he ended the year with four total wins and high expectations on his shoulders for 2025 (which he ultimately rose to, winning that year's Championship and finally breaking the Red Bull streak).

But beyond just Norris's performances, this race represented a shift for McLaren as a whole, with the team going on to secure the Constructors' Championship for the first time since 1998, and then defend that title by an extremely comfortable margin in 2025. While the team did look sharp from the start of 2024, the Miami race truly put them in the spotlight where they were able to continue thriving for the remainder of the previous regulations era.

Want more surprising facts about this year’s F1 drivers and race tracks? Check out our other Speed Reads:

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• Speed Read: Three Things You Didn’t Know About Kimi Antonelli ‍
• Speed Read: 3 Things You Didn’t Know About the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix