Ahead of the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team Driver Ambassador Jessica Hawkins touched down in Florida to get a sneak peak behind-the-scenes of the newest track on the F1 calendar.
Invited to The Magic City by AMF1 partners SentinelOne to talk to female staff about technology and the growing influence of women in motorsport, Jessica also sampled the lifestyle and learned about the iconic Miami.
"I'm in Miami for the first time ever and I don't know what I expected from Florida, but it definitely wasn't this," said Jessica.
"We never get the opportunity to see the city that we're racing in. It's the airport, hotel and racetrack – nine times out of 10, those are the only things you ever see.
"While I'm here and I have a bit of downtime, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to explore some of the beautiful scenes of Miami."
First look at new Miami F1 venue
Touchdown in Miami. Join Jessica Hawkins as she explores F1's latest home: Miami. From Gator Park to the Miami Dolphins stadium, with a stop along the way to meet the inspirational women of SentinelOne, this is your ultimate guide to The Magic City.
Taking the wheel of the new Aston Martin DBX 707, Jessica's first stop is the Everglades for an alligator spotting airboat tour.
An experienced race and stunt driver, there's not much that unsettles Jessica – but with the world record alligator measuring 19 feet and two inches, she could be forgiven for feeling apprehensive.
"I've never seen an alligator before. I'm not sure if I should be scared… everything here bites, apparently!"
After soaking in the stunning views of Miami beach in the DBX 707, Jessica headed into the city to attend the SentinelOne event.
"The main reason I'm here is to host Women's Hour at a SentinelOne event," said Jessica. "It's a chance to get us all together and empower each other.
"Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team's philosophy for the year is #WeClimbTogether, while SentinelOne's philosophy is #Ascend.
"There's a lot of synergy between the two, so I’m really excited to meet some of the ladies and hear their stories.
There is no such thing as a man's sport or a woman's sport.
"One of the main reasons we don't have a female driver in Formula One is because, if you go by the law of averages, there are so many fewer female drivers in the sport that it's highly unlikely a female will make it to the top.
"We need to start changing that perception – not just for children, but for their parents as well. There is no such thing as a man's sport or a woman's sport."
Summarising the unorthodox path that she took to AMF1, Jessica added: "I've learned something along the way – if bad decisions lead to signing for Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team, I will continue to make bad decisions!"
Having made her mark on the "super empowering and even a bit emotional" #Ascend event, Jessica made her way to the final stop of her tour: the home of the Miami Dolphins NFL team.
Having taken a tour of the stadium and been gifted a personalised team shirt –plus, true to her character, a beanie hat – there was one more job to tick off the list: walking the brand-new F1 track.
Sweeping around the Dolphins stadium and weaving through the palm trees, the Miami Grand Prix venue may still be a work in progress, but the layout and backdrop are already looking spectacular.
"It's been a great day," concluded Jessica, having guided us through the sights and sounds of the most eagerly anticipated Grand Prix venue in recent memory.
If you weren't already counting the days to the Miami Grand Prix, you will be now.
Stay tuned on our social media channels to follow our first ever race weekend in Florida from May 5-8.
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