Kevin Hart and Authentic Live Turn Up the Heat in Miami

Sports Illustrated

Kimi Antonelli made history at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday, becoming the only driver to convert his first three pole position starts into victories, capping a hard-fought battle against McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to claim his third win of the Formula 1 season. But as anyone who was there can tell you, the engines really started revving days before the checkered flag flew.

Sports Illustrated’s Miami race weekend actually kicked off Thursday with its fifth annual Race Weekend Kickoff: a VIP, invitation-only bash held at The Surf Club, owned and run by legendary chef Thomas Keller. The evening’s hosts were none other than star comedian and actor Kevin Hart, alongside business partner Jamie Salter, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Authentic Brands Group. Kevin lived up to his hardest-working-man-in-showbiz reputation, working every corner of the room—welcoming guests, giving interviews, posing for pictures and getting big laughs out of anyone in earshot.

The Kickoff was one of the most star-studded happenings in recent memory, drawing not only Mr. Hart and his wife Eniko, but tennis immortal Serena Williams, skate/snowboarding innovator Shaun White, pop music impresario Tommy Mottola, Shark Tank sharks Daymond John and Kevin O’Leary, super-influencer Alix Earle, model and perennial “It girl” Hailey Bieber, and the NBA’s Draymond Green and the NFL’s Tyreek Hill. The party also attracted a handful of drivers, including NASCAR fixture Jimmie Johnson and F1’s Pierre Gasly, who stopped by the Surf Club before strapping in for Alpine at the Miami International Autodome the following day.

Guests were kept well refreshed thanks to two standout partner activations. Midnight Cowboy rolled up with their signature cart, serving canned espresso martinis that became one of the most talked-about sips of the evening. Gran Coramino, the premium tequila brand, mixed up a custom cocktail and kept bottles flowing at the bar all night. Swiss watchmaker H. Moser & Cie. showcased its newly released Streamliner Pump timepiece in collaboration with Reebok, it was hard to miss O’Leary proudly sporting a pair of them, one on each wrist. AI financial intelligence platform Terzo was on hand to help the well-to-do become even better-to-do, and in case any guest was in the market for a new yacht, Kitson Yachts was standing by next to a scale model of one of its most popular vessels.

“Formula 1 wins more and more American fans with each passing year,” said Matt Goldstein, EVP of Authentic Live, the live events division of Authentic and co-producer of the event. “It says something that a star as prominent as Kevin Hart will not only attend an F1 party like this but step up to host it personally and put his tremendous energy and charisma in service of the sport.”

The weekend’s energy carried right into Saturday, when SI’s Circuit Series took over the iconic Guitar Pool at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. Shaquille O’Neal, known worldwide behind the decks as DJ Diesel, headlined alongside Canadian electronic duo Loud Luxury. The party ran deep into the night, a perfect prelude to race day.

SI's next F1 event heads north to Montreal at the end of May, and we hope to see you there.