Lionel Messi was one of the most notable guests at the 2026 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix this Sunday. The Argentine star of Inter Miami arrived at the Miami Autodrome accompanied by his wife Antonela and their children to witness one of the most important events on the Formula 1 calendar, where he had the opportunity to visit the Mercedes garage and sit at the controls of the car of the Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli, leader of the world championship with 75 points.
In the Silver Arrows garage, Messi took a photo with Antonelli and his teammate George Russell, who started from fifth position on the grid. The Argentine star was not the only prominent name in the stands of the Miami GP, since former tennis player Rafael Nadal, golfer Jon Rahm and former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal were also present in an event that confirms the power of attraction of the Miami Grand Prix among world sports figures.
Messi’s visit to the Miami GP comes a day after his team, Inter Miami, lost 3-4 against Orlando City in a match where the hosts blew a 3-0 lead before falling in added time. The defeat contrasts with the festive atmosphere that the Argentine star experienced this Sunday on the Florida circuit, where he was received with signs of affection from the fans present at the event.
On the Argentine side of the track, Franco Colapinto started from eighth position with Alpine in what promises to be an exciting race on the Florida circuit. The young Argentine driver is coming off an outstanding performance in Saturday’s sprint classification and will seek to continue adding important points for the French team in a season where Alpine has shown flashes of competitiveness.
Antonelli, with 75 points, and Russell, with 68, lead the drivers’ world championship, followed by the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc with 55 points and Lewis Hamilton with 43. The main race of the Miami GP promises to be one of the most attractive duels on the calendar with McLaren and Mercedes starring in a battle that could define the course of the championship so far in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The Miami Grand Prix is the fourth date on this season’s calendar and the first since the Suzuka GP in Japan in March, due to the suspension of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia grands prix due to the conflict in Iran. An event that, in addition to its sporting spectacle, once again confirms its status as one of the most glamorous events in world motorsport, capable of bringing together the most important figures in international sports on the same stage.