This week, American Express announced a partnership with F1 Academy, a project from Formula 1 that champions female talent in motorsport, intending to make way for women in a male-dominated sport. With this partnership, American Express will not only back the next generation of female drivers but also local women-owned small businesses.
American Express and F1 Academy held an event called "A Celebration of Women with Drive" on Wednesday, May 1, to kick off the partnership that starts with the Miami race.
"Supporting F1 Academy is all about backing women on and off the track," Shiz Suzuki, vice president of global brand sponsorships and experiential marketing at American Express, told New Times during the event. "Featuring local female-owned small businesses logos on a livery of a Formula 1 Academy car is a really powerful way for us to back companies like Caja Caliente and support communities like Miami."
Caja Caliente is featured on the car and race suit worn by F1 Academy driver Jessica Edgar.
American Express photo
"I'm very excited," Mika Leon, owner and chef of Caja Caliente, told New Times. "Not only am I partnering up with American Express, but also F1 Academy, which is very special to me as a female entrepreneur in a very male-dominated industry. I feel like we're representing women today."
The panel was moderated by Sky Sports F1 reporter and television personality Natalie Pinkham, with guest speakers Susie Wolff, managing director of F1 Academy, singer Camila Cabello, and Mika Leon, and featured a special appearance from F1 Academy driver Jessica Edgar.
"I'm so happy to be a part of this panel," said Leon. "We have so many great women like Camila Cabello, another Miami Cuban female go-getter, and Jess, the driver representing F1 Academy, so it's gonna be a really special night, kind of showcasing Miami flavors because I'm cooking, and we're catering here, as well as Miami talent and female talent."
Chef Mika Leon served some of her signature dishes from Coral Gables-based Caja Caliente.
Photo by James McEntee
"We have a huge vision, we have a huge mission, and we have a lot to accomplish," said Susie Wolff during the panel. "I have a great team with me in F1 Academy; we know we need to be bold, we need to disrupt the world of motorsport, and I think together with American Express, we found the perfect partner."
Attendees got a first look at driver Edgar's car with the Caja Caliente livery while enjoying popular bites from the restaurant, and Camila Cabello performed a preview of a new song called "20 Somethings" from her upcoming album C, XOXO.
For anyone who missed the event, don't blink when Edgar's car zaps through the track this weekend. F1 Academy's qualifying is this Saturday, May 4, at 10:25 a.m., followed by two races — one on Saturday and another on Sunday, May 5.
