Formula 1 had its ‘Miami Grand Prix Opening Party’ at the Hard Rock Stadium ahead of this weekend’s race, but the ceremony has been met with some of the sports more 'purist' fans feeling the ceremony was ‘cringe’.

For the first time since 1984, F1 is due to host two GP in the USA with the Miami GP set to kick-off this weekend for the first time ever.

The GP has been eagerly anticipated with more than 300,000 expected to descend on Miami for the three-day-long event.

Tickets are selling for thousands of dollars; hotels are charging $1,000 a night and top DJ’s such as Tiesto and Diplo have been brought into the nightclub scene for the week.

Local officials are claiming the Grand Prix will exceed the attendance of the 2020 Miami Superbowl.

A night to remember

F1 dubbed the opening ceremony ‘a night to remember’, live-streaming the whole event.

However, some fans were hoping to forget the event labelling it ‘cringe’ and claiming the ‘razzmatazz’ was not required.

This all came after fans were quick to slam Miami's fake marina - complete with fake water - earlier in the week.

Opening Ceremony

The ceremony was akin to a concert with the F1 drivers, CEO’s, and team owners on stage, waving to fans, posing for pictures, and speaking to the Miami crowd in turn.

Lewis Hamilton received the biggest response from the crowd when saying he loved Miami and could not wait to take part in the Miami Grand Prix.

Hamilton added, “I hope we put on a show for you.”

A show is exactly what the ceremony was with Norwegian DJ Kygo playing music to the crowd.

Signed hats were thrown into the crowd and the crowd was invited to take the “best shots you will ever see in your lives’ on their camera phones.

The F1 season so far

Charles Leclerc of Ferrari sits top of the drivers’ standings, 27 points ahead of Red Bull’s defending champion Max Verstappen heading into Sunday’s Florida race.

Mercedes Lewis Hamilton currently sits 7th in the table on 28 points.

In the constructor’s table, Ferrari holds an 11-point lead over Red Bull following the latter’s one-two finish in Imola a fortnight ago.

Miami GP Schedule

The Miami GP is a three-day event with practice starting on Friday. Qualifying will be held on Saturday ahead of the big race on Sunday.