One day before the checkered flag was waved at the inaugural Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, the Oracle Red Bull Racing Team and Hard Rock International signed a multi-year agreement in Formula 1. The agreement makes Hard Rock an official team and viewing partner.

The Hard Rock logo was visible on the Oracle Red Bull race cars for the May 8 race on the Hard Rock Stadium campus in Miami Gardens. The sponsorship paid off immediately as Oracle Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the race and his teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. finished third.

“Hard Rock is thrilled to partner with Oracle Red Bull Racing and their culture of winning both on and off the track to bring more dynamic entertainment experiences to our fans around the globe,” Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming, said in a statement a day before the race. “This partnership represents our ongoing commitment to collaborations with the best in class in sports, music and entertainment, while connecting with the next generation of fans from around the globe.”

The partnership gives Hard Rock a presence on a team in a sport that attracts a global audience. Formula 1’s race locations include Australia, Japan, Monaco, Belgium, the United Kingdom and the U.S. Las Vegas, where Hard Rock plans to build a guitar-shaped hotel on the Strip, will be the third U.S. track added starting next season in addition to Miami and Austin, Texas.

According to an article from si.com, Formula 1’s popularity is gaining traction, noting that its highest ratings ever in the United States came last season. Additionally, the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix earlier this year was the most viewed race on ESPN since the broadcast giant took over the network rights for Formula 1 in 2018.

The alliance between Hard Rock and Oracle Red Bull will also encompass a collaboration with Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Esports team. Founded in 2018, the squad has since won seven world championship titles across multiple Esports racing disciplines. Its involvement with Hard Rock will see the Esports team bring its experience of virtual racing to the fan experience through sim racing rigs in select Hard Rock territories. These sim racing rigs are simulators that mimic the real world environments of driving a Formula 1 car on a track.

Red Bull has been competing in Formula 1 since 1995 and has accumulated 78 race victories along with five driver’s championship wins, including Verstappen’s world championship triumph last year.

“Oracle Red Bull Racing is committed to bringing the excitement of Formula 1 to as many people as possible, all over the world, and this agreement with Hard Rock is a landmark for the team,” Christian Horner, Oracle Red Bull racing team principal and CEO, said in a statement. “It gives us the opportunity to provide our fans with some incredible experiences, and in turn it plugs the Hard Rock brand directly into a fan base that is expanding at an exceptional rate. F1’s popularity has grown exponentially in recent years, especially in the US. Oracle Red Bull Racing is at the forefront of that explosion in interest in America, and now with Hard Rock International on board we can look forward to giving those fans an even more intense, immersive and engaging F1 experience.”

Hard Rock’s presence at the race was evident on and off the track, which drew 242,955 fans over the course of the race weekend, according to the race’s Instagram page.

During the weekend, artists such as Maluma, Post Malone, The Chainsmokers, Tiesto and Zedd performed at race-related functions. The Hard Rock Beach Club, complete with pools, sand and cabanas near one of the track’s turns, featured a stage for DJs and performances.

The race also attracted several celebrities, such as Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Bad Bunny and David Beckham.

The track – known as the Miami International Autodrome – was completed earlier this year. It weaves around Hard Rock Stadium with 19 turns and three straights.