Anna On Week In Miami: We Can Learn From Formula 1
Grinder Anna Weis reflects on a week in Miami meeting Alba Larsen and a number of other F1 stars in the paddock…
Published 05/12/2025
The recent trip to the Miami Grand Prix had plenty of upside for Anna Weis, beyond attending her first Formula 1 event.
With 76 days between the Oracle San Francisco Sail Grand Prix and the U.S. SailGP Team’s next event in New York on June 7-8, Anna joined Mike Buckley in Miami for the week to support the Atlassian Williams Racing team and mingle with Tommy Hilfiger athletes.
Among those were Alba Larsen, the 16-year-old F1 Academy driver supported by Tommy Hilfiger. SailGP is often referred to as the F1 of sailing and Anna believes there is plenty to learn from the crossover between the two worlds.
“It’s funny because our sports are so different, but there’s so much crossover in mindset and preparation,” explained Anna. “I think it’s because we’ve all grown up dedicating ourselves to sport. I always find it so easy to connect with other athletes – we just get each other.
“It was so cool to see Alba again – I’d met her before in Amsterdam. She’s so young and so talented – she doesn’t even have her driver’s license yet! It was great to see her in her element, check out her car, and watch her race. Seeing those cars up close and how fast they go – it’s just unreal. I was amazed by all the girls racing.
“We also met some other big names at the F1: The Academy premiere. It was inspiring to see how much support the Academy drivers were getting from the F1 community.
“I also reconnected with a bunch of Red Bull athletes – some I’d met before, others I got to know better. It’s always so cool meeting other high-level athletes. The lifestyle, training, and mindset – there are so many similarities, even across different sports.
“I’d seen a little of Drive to Survive, so I knew a bit, but I wouldn’t say I was a big F1 fan. After being there in person though, I want to follow it more closely. I’m planning to watch the full series now, and I’m really excited for the F1: The Academy series coming out later this month.
Read More: Hans Henken On Michael Menninger Addition
“There's so much crossover with SailGP – the intensity, the tight schedules, the high stakes. It's like this massive production crammed into just a couple of days. It’s really impressive.”
It was a packed week for Anna and Mike who walked the red carpet at the F1: The Academy premiere, attended the Atlassian Williams Racing team Fan Zone in Miami, had a Tommy Hilfiger fitting and took part in the Wings For Life run on Sunday before heading home.
Naturally, though, there was some time for a bit of competition between the U.S. SailGP Team duo who took on a number of hand-eye coordination and reaction tests at the Williams Fan Zone, as well as testing out the F1 simulator.
Victory on the track belonged to Mike but Anna was keen to redress the balance across the range of activities.
She said: “He did win! I was pretty slow on the brakes – I wasn’t anticipating enough, I think. If we did it again, maybe I’d have a better chance, but yeah, he won that one. We were pretty even across the different activities, so I guess we need a tiebreaker in New York!
“I always say I don’t care, but then once I’m in it, I care way too much. Classic athlete behavior!”
Most of all, it was the chance to reconnect with a team-mate and some of the front office staff after a longer than anticipated and unscheduled pause in the season.
“It was really great to see Mike and Conor (Cashel, Chief of Staff) – that helped me feel connected even though we weren’t sailing,” explained Anna.
“I also got to spend time with some of our partners, which was a real perk of the job. It’s nice to stay connected with people we work with, but in a more relaxed environment, without the pressure of racing. That kind of balance is really refreshing.”
Claim your own U.S. SailGP Team Crew Card
Join the Crew
Support
Contact
Powered By
© FanCapital LLC