F1 News: Ed Sheeran Joins the Miami Grand Prix Amid Sponsorship Talks - 'It's A Circus'

Alex Harrington | May 4, 2024

Nov 7, 2021; New York, New York, USA; Musician Ed Sheeran and Comedian Chris Rock sit at curtsied / Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports

Pop star Ed Sheeran brought his unique flair to the Miami Grand Prix, describing the event as "a circus" amid his action-packed weekend. While chatting and drinking with F1 teams and stars like George Russell and Max Verstappen, the singer shared insights into his growing fascination with the sport.

The focus of the Miami Grand Prix is on the 20 drivers and 10 teams on the grid right now. But it's Miami, so of course we're surrounded by high-profile spectators, with British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran among the latest to dive into the pulsating world of Formula 1. This past weekend, Sheeran experienced the thrill of racing firsthand with hot laps from Mercedes driver George Russell, all while preparing for a special performance linked to the event.

"I'm just about to do the hot lap with George Russell, which will be fun," Sheeran said. "I met Verstappen last time, who was lovely, I'm meeting [Charles] Leclerc later, and it's good." He continued:

"I watched all of 'Drive to Survive' and I guess that’s like the best crash course that you can do in it is just watch that and most people that I know that love it now are into it through that," he explained.

However, embracing the world of fast cars and tire changes comes with its own set of challenges, particularly regarding scheduling around his other passion: football. Sheeran recently undertook a sponsorship deal with his favorite football club, Ipswich Town, and joked about the financial implications of balancing his music commitments with his new sports enthusiasm.

"I've signed on to sponsor them next season and I'm, like, if they get into the prem it's not going to pay for itself," he joked to Sky Sports F1's Ted Kravitz. "I don't want to do play-offs, because what's going to happen is we'll get to the end of the play-offs and it'll be Ipswich-Norwich and Norwich will knock us out.

"It is a shame to miss the game but I've just bumped into a load of Ipswich fans here so we're all going to meet up and watch it together. Tractor Boys on tour."

Despite the bustling backdrop and the ongoing activities, Sheeran summarized his F1 experience in Miami succinctly: "It’s nice man, it’s a circus though. It’s like so much going on."