Donald Trump made an appearance at the Miami Grand Prix while Lando Norris secured his first victory in Formula 1. The British driver surprised everyone by taking the lead after a Safety Car period and managed to hold off Max Verstappen for most of the race. Norris later shared details of his conversation with the former President of the United States.
McLaren invited Trump to watch the race as a guest. Before the start of the Grand Prix, the American politician even had a meeting with the FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Norris mentioned that Trump congratulated him after the race and he felt honored to receive recognition from the former President of the United States, who took time out of his busy schedule to be present at the event.
Furthermore, Norris revealed that Trump considered himself to be the British driver’s lucky charm. This idea had been playfully suggested by former Red Bull driver Karun Chandhok in the past. Despite the uncertainty about whether Trump will attend more races this season, Norris expressed his happiness at having the support of the former President of the United States.
Trump congratulated Norris on his first victory and the British driver considered it a great honor. He appreciated the fact that someone like Trump took the time to acknowledge his achievement and even called him his lucky charm. However, Norris was unsure if Trump would attend future races. The moment was memorable for him nonetheless.
Formula 1 has always sought to remain apolitical and Trump’s attempt to host a fundraiser at the Miami Grand Prix was blocked. However, McLaren agreed to have the American politician as a guest in their garage during the weekend. This decision received criticism from online fans, prompting the British team to issue a statement defending their choice.
McLaren clarified that they are a non-political organization. However, they acknowledged the importance of the President of the United States position and therefore accepted the request from Trump’s team to visit their garage on the day of the Miami GP.
Donald Trump made an appearance at the Miami GP and visited McLaren’s garage. McLaren, maintaining their stance as a non-political organization, acknowledged and respected the President of the United States position. Therefore, they agreed to Trump’s visit request, along with the FIA president and the F1/Liberty CEOs.
Undoubtedly, Donald Trump remains a divisive figure in the F1 paddock. Despite this, he had a successful outing at the Miami GP, coinciding with Lando Norris’ first F1 victory. However, it is unlikely that Trump will attend any of the other American races on the calendar, as he focuses on his 2024 election campaign.
