From Miami, With Love: Q&A Edition
It was hot, hectic, and so iconic — welcome to the Miami Grand Prix, Radiant Icons. 🏁🌴
In today’s tea time sesh, Amanda spills the post-race tea from a weekend that was equal parts fangirl fantasy and full-throttle chaos. From live listener questions and unfiltered opinions to standout moments (and major misses), she’s breaking down what made Miami magic — and what could’ve used a red flag.
You’ll hear about partying with the radiant icons, powerful fan activations, and what it means to stay confident in a male-dominated space when you’re showing up as your full, radiant self. Plus, Amanda’s already manifesting her dream podium for 2025 — because fangirls don’t just watch, we envision the future.
🎧 Tap in for hot takes, behind-the-scenes stories, and a reminder that your voice belongs in every room — even the paddock.
Connect with Amanda:
Shop the Paddock Icons Collection today!
Got a question for Amanda or a topic you'd love to hear discussed on a future episode? Submit your question to the "Dare To Be Iconic Hotline" today!
Time Stamps:
00:00 Welcome to Dare To Be Iconic
01:39 It’s DTBI Hotline Time!
02:06 Track and Weekend Review
06:32 Hot Takes and Opinions
08:17 Iconic Performances and Misses
09:59 Fangirl Moments
13:33 Future Fan Activations
14:52 Staying Confident and Iconic
16:46 Miami Grand Prix Takeaways
20:03 See you next week!
Transcript
I.
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:What's up, radiant icons and welcome
back to Dare To Be Iconic, the podcast
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:made for icons daring to be themselves.
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:I'm your host, Amanda Paolicelli
and for today's Tea Time sesh,
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:it's dedicated to the Dare To Be
Iconic hotline, but specifically.
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:Those Miami Grand Prix questions,
'cause I got a lot of them, you guys.
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:I, I got a lot of questions about the
Miami Grand Prix and I am ready to
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:spill the tea about it right here, right
now and answer your questions live.
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:But before we do that, make
sure to connect with me on
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:socials, on Instagram and TikTok.
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:It's @amandapaolicelli_
and @daretobeiconic_.
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:And if you're on LinkedIn, you
already know what I'm gonna say
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:radiant icons because I love me.
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:I love me some LinkedIn.
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:It's Amanda Paolicelli on there,
so make sure to connect with me.
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:All of my socials will be linked
in the show notes below and also.
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:I know, I know there's a lot of updates
in the Dare to Be Iconic world 'cause
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:there's a lot of iconicness happening,
especially in the last couple of months.
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:Like, oh my gosh, you
guys whiplash, right?
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:But um, if you haven't heard, there is
a new merch drop for Dare To Be Iconic.
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:The Paddock Icons Collection is now live.
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:You can find that in the show notes below.
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:It's on the Dare to Be Iconic Etsy
Shop and also the Dare To Be Iconic
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:website under the merchandise tab.
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:Again, that's linked in the
show notes for you guys.
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:So now that we're done with the
Dare to Be Iconic announcements,
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:let's get to the tea, shall we?
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:I am literally so excited to be
answering all of these questions
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:because I've gone through every
single one and all of these questions.
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:Woo.
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:You guys never disappoint.
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:Okay, you guys never let me down.
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:And these are good.
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:These are spicy, these are hot.
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:It's honestly as hot as the Miami Sun.
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:You see what I did there?
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:Alright, radiants icons, are you
ready for your tea time sesh?
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:Because it is starting now.
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:All right.
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:First question, be honest.
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:Did the track and weekend live
up to the Miami hype this year?
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:You want my honest opinion,
I'm gonna give it to you.
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:It's a yes and a no.
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:Now, going into the Miami Grand Prix,
I had a lot of expectations, right?
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:Because Miami last year,
the hype was unreal.
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:The FOMO was unmatched.
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:Like it was insane.
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:So I came in to the Miami Grand Prix
week, I should say, because it was a
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:week experience with high expectations.
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:And throughout the week I definitely took
note of the things where I was like, ah,
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:this is not what I thought it would be.
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:And the things that completely exceeded
what I thought the week would entail.
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:Right?
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:And so there's, there's a good
and bad, it's a yes and no.
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:This is what I have to say.
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:The track itself not my favorite.
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:It is not my favorite circuit.
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:And again, I am only comparing it to
Barcelona because as you guys know,
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:last summer I went to the Spanish
Grand Prix and that track was amazing.
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:I had the time of my life.
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:It was easy to navigate.
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:We had the fan stage there, which Miami
does not, and I think that is definitely
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:an element that Miami is missing.
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:I, I definitely did miss that aspect.
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:There were a lot of great opportunities
in Spain at the track, and it was also,
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:it was closer, you know, everything was
near each other as compared to Miami.
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:It's a larger track there.
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:So many things going on.
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:It, it's a lot, you know,
you are walking a lot.
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:It is a lot.
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:It's, I think it's more than Spain.
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:Maybe it's the same.
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:I, I don't know.
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:It felt longer.
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:Right.
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:It's a larger campus.
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:So going back to my original
point here, when it came to the
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:actual grand weekend, right.
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:Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as a general
admission individual, in this case,
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:Miami, did not live up to the hype.
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:In my personal opinion.
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:I think the GA experience, the fan
experience in general in Miami for
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:that Grand Prix weekend, there are so
many elements that unfortunately fell
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:through that they could have done better.
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:And I think for general admission
especially, you know, as compared
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:to other tracks like Spain, you
know, you can bring your lawn
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:chairs, you can bring your blankets.
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:You can't do that in Miami, you
know, and so the general admission
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:experience as a whole, not my favorite
thing, it did not live up to the hype.
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:However, when it comes to the
external fan activations like the
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:Williams fan zone, never disappoints
when it comes to the F1 Academy
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:activations that they had in Miami.
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:Absolutely exceeded my expectations.
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:We did not have that in Spain.
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:The only activation that we truly
had was the fan fest and was the, um,
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:they did something new with the cars
down the street, um, and then they
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:had the Williams fan zone, right?
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:Like those activations were great.
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:Obviously the Williams fan
zone is a firm one for me.
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:I, I truly believe if you are going to a
Grand Prix where there's a Williams fan
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:zone you need to go to, it is the best
way to set up your Grand Prix weekend.
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:Um, however, there are more external
activations in Miami that really allow
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:fans to be a part of the experience
that made Miami worth the hype when
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:it came to the actual experience
like again, as a GA individual,
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:it did not live up to the hype.
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:However, the F1 Academy Paddock
absolutely amazing 'cause again,
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:they didn't have that in Spain.
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:So for me, it's really,
you gotta pick your poison.
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:Do you want all those external fan
activations that truly make the weekend
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:worthwhile, or when you're talking about
just that weekend in itself on the track.
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:I don't know.
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:I, I genuinely don't know.
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:It's not my favorite circuit.
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:My experience as a fan wasn't the best.
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:I definitely had a better
experience in Spain when it comes
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:to the actual Grand Prix days.
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:Um, but the external activations in
Miami, there was so much to do when there
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:were so many opportunities that, for me.
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:It was worth it.
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:So that is my honest opinion.
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:Now let's get to question number two.
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:What was your hot take from
the Miami Grand Prix weekend?
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:Do not hold back.
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:Well, I promise you I won't hold back.
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:I don't hold back on any of my opinions.
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:I think my hot take would be.
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:If you are doing the Miami Grand
Prix, please do a grand stand.
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:Do not do GA.
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:The GA experience, like I mentioned.
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:The answer previously is not worth
it in Miami, it is not worth your
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:money and you are not getting
the most bang for your buck.
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:I know a lot of people said that online.
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:I do not agree.
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:I strongly disagree with that statement.
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:I think if you are gonna shell
out money to go to Miami and if
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:you can afford it, because I know
grandstands are extremely expensive.
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:That's why I didn't do it.
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:If I can swing it, I would
do a grandstand seat.
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:I was even talking to, um,
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:someone really important in my life
and I was telling them that Personally
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:going back for next year, I think I
would kind of dabble with the idea of
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:doing a single day grandstand ticket
'cause those were really affordable.
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:Actually they were like
$65 on Friday and Saturday.
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:Obviously Sunday it's, you know,
it gets up into the hundreds.
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:But if you can afford to go to the Miami
Grand Prix, right, and you're thinking
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:about doing a grandstand and you're
kind of dabbling with the idea of.
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:Do I do all three days?
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:Do I do two days?
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:Do I do one day?
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:I would look into that grandstand
option and see which one is the
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:best for you within your budget.
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:But my hot take, don't do GA.
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:If you can splurge on a grandstand,
even if it's for one day, even if it's
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:for two days, that is worth your money.
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:More in Miami, I promise you.
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:Next question.
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:Ooh, this is a good one.
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:Okay.
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:Which driver had the most
iconic performance and who
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:totally missed the mark?
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:Ooh, okay.
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:This is, this is a loaded question,
but let's get into it, shall we?
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:Okay.
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:So when it comes to the driver who I
think had the most iconic performance
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:throughout the entire weekend as a whole.
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:It's gonna be Oscar Piastri.
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:Now you guys know I'm a big papaya girl.
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:I love McLaren, but also Lando
Norris is my favorite driver, right?
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:I haven't been shy about that throughout
this entire dare to be iconic journey,
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:but when I think of the 20, 25 season,
right, and I, I think of the overall
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:picture of it, Oscar has impressed me
and he's always been a favorite of mine.
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:He hasn't been, obviously at
Lando's level for me, however.
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:Oscar is coming close you guys, and
Oscar has had iconic performance
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:after iconic performance.
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:Now, who totally missed the mark?
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:You know, there's a lot of teams in
general that have missed the mark this
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:season or even this weekend in Miami.
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:And, um, you know, I'm not
gonna say a specific driver.
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:I'm gonna say there's a, you
know, there, there is room for
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:improvement for some individuals.
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:Um, and that's, that's where I'm
leaving that and it's where I'm leaving
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:that, I'll keep that part to myself.
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:But most iconic performance goes to
Oscar Piastri, who I thank you guys will
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:become the world champion this year.
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:I know that's also a hot
take, but I do believe it.
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:I think Oscar will be the world champion
this year, and I think McLaren will
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:become constructors a thousand percent.
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:All right.
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:Next question.
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:What was your biggest fan girl
moment during the Miami Grand Prix?
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:There were so many fan girl
moments for the Miami Grand Prix.
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:Like, I'm not even gonna lie to you guys.
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:There are so many fan girl moments.
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:I just, I have to name 'em all off
Lia Block saying she, my question
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:four, she signed my phone case fan
girl moment a thousand percent.
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:Um, the day after that, that
was the F1 Academy Premiere.
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:Seeing Reese Witherspoon and
Susie Wolf on the stage before me.
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:Absolutely insane.
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:Mind blowing fan girl moment.
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:Okay, miss L Woods herself.
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:You guys like what?
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:Third one, let's see.
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:The female quotient event in a whole
that made my entire like weekend,
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:life literally, uh, fan girl moment,
just being in that room, but also
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:meeting Susie Wolf, um, fan girl
moment to the max, like she's the icon.
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:Uh, later on in the day, I met
Abby Pulling the F1 Academy
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:World Champion from last year.
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:Huge fan girl moment.
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:Um.
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:Joanne and Alba, two of the current F1
Academy drivers that are on the grid.
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:They waved to me on
Saturday in their garage.
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:Literally fan girl moment.
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:'cause I had to turn around to
Katie, Katie from Race Tips and
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:be like, did that just happen?
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:She goes, yes, Amanda,
you're not dreaming it.
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:So yeah, that, that's a
fan girl moment there.
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:Um, and I think like, just
witnessing the podium, that's a
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:fan girl moment in itself too.
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:And like also meeting
all my online friends.
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:That's a fan girl moment.
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:'cause I'm like, oh my
God, like you're real.
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:Like you're here in front of me.
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:Like we're, we're hanging out.
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:Like that's a fan girl moment.
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:So again, like Miami was filled
with so many amazing iconic fan
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:girl moments and those are all them.
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:I can't, I can't sum up one to, 'cause
it was just like fan girl central for me.
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:Like I was living my most iconic life.
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:Like truly my most iconic life.
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:'Cause so much happened in
Miami and it was literally just.
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:It was just amazing.
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:Yeah, those are all my fan girl moments.
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:I can't choose one.
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:I can't do that to myself because
everything was just too iconic.
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:Like I promise you.
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:If you could party in Miami with any
driver, who are you picking and why?
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:Well, obvious answer here.
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:Lando Norris like, I mean, I don't
even think like, come on you guys.
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:It's gonna be Lando.
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:I think Lando would have a good time.
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:He would know where to go because
he won last year in Miami, right?
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:So he has all the connections.
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:And then also, like Lando Norris
is my favorite driver, so why
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:wouldn't I wanna go party with him?
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:Like I feel like.
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:He would just be such a good time
to go out with like, I feel like
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:he would have all the connections.
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:He would know who to talk to, where to go.
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:And like, even honestly, I feel
like Morning Garrick's would pop up.
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:You know, like I, I feel like we would
be set, like the night would be perfect
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:and it would just be like amazing.
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:Like I think you would have
like the best time of your life.
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:So if I'm choosing someone
to go out within Miami.
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:I would pick Lando Norris,
like I just feel like on all
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:fronts it checks all the boxes.
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:You know what I'm saying?
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:Like, yeah, no, I'm
partying with Lando Norris.
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:I know he just became a dad
this Miami weekend, which is
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:so Max Verstappen coded like.
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:Literally so Max Verstappen coded, but
like I feel like Max can also have a
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:good time, like he knows how to party.
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:So he would be my second
choice a thousand percent.
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:And then maybe Yuki.
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:He would be fun.
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:Like we would have a good time.
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:You know what I mean?
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:So Lando, max and Yuki, those
are the drivers that I'm
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:picking to party with in Miami.
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:Ooh, I love this question.
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:If you could start a fan activation
or event for next year's Miami
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:Grand Prix, what would it be?
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:Honestly, and I've been thinking
about this a lot actually.
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:I would amplify Lando Bash.
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:I would make it bigger than
it already was this year.
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:Like this year, Kimi and I.
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:We killed it.
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:Like we literally did kill that shit.
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:Like we exceeded our expectations and
everything came together so beautifully.
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:Like even better than we
both could imagine, right?
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:And hope for.
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:And I think for next year, if
I were to do an event or fan
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:activation, I would amplify the idea
of Lando Bash on a grander scale.
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:Um, 'cause that is definitely
something that I have in the works.
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:I have something up my sleeve
'cause you guys know I always do.
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:But I would do something like
Lando Bash, but on a grander scale.
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:And yeah, that's all I'm saying because
I'm not, I'm not giving away that
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:secret just yet, but I will spill
the tea on it when the time comes.
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:But just know a D-T-B-I fan activation
will be in the near future, just
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:do weight rating and d icons.
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:I can't wait to meet all of you
again, basically, is what I'm saying.
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:Okay.
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:Lando Bash was iconic, and what
I have planned next is even
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:more iconic, so stay tuned.
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:All right.
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:Next question, Amanda, how do you
stay confident and iconic in spaces
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:where you feel underestimated
like we often are as fan girls?
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:So being a woman entrepreneur, and
also being a fan girl and being
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:in a space that is male dominated.
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:There's a lot of things against me, right?
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:I am a woman who is championing women to
embrace who they are in a male dominated
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:sports space where you know, they don't
really like women voicing their opinions.
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:And when I go into a space where I enter
a space where I feel underestimated, I
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:always have to remind myself of my why.
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:Why am I here?
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:Why am I doing what I am doing?
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:For me, when I think back of the
purpose of Dare to Be Iconic, it is
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:to elevate, it is to champion and it
is to empower other women to embrace
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:who they are unapologetically- to
have true confidence in who they are.
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:So for me, that is
going to be my strength.
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:That is going to be my why.
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:That will propel me forward in
staying confident and iconic in these
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:spaces where I feel underestimated.
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:And I am doing it for you guys,
and I am doing it for myself.
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:I am doing it for that little baby
Amanda, who was too scared to love
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:what she loved so unapologetically, who
was so scared to dare to be herself.
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:I am doing that for little baby Amanda.
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:I am doing that for you guys because
I am here to make a difference, I
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:am here to use my voice and empower
you guys to also use your voice.
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:So yeah, if these people underestimate
me, so what I know what I bring to the
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:table, so I'm gonna stay confident and
iconic in that because I'm too much of
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:a bad bitch to let them bring me down.
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:What's one thing you'll take from the
Miami Grand Prix weekend to help you
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:dare to be iconic in your daily life?
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:I just have to start off saying that
there are so many things that I'm taking
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:away from the Miami Grand Prix, but if
there is one thing that I have to pick,
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:it actually goes back to last week's
tea time ses and the first lesson, which
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:is community is everything, and when
we come together, we rise together.
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:And the reason why that one thing will
be the main thing that I take away from
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:Miami is because it proved the message
of dare to be Iconic, which is daring
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:to be yourself is the most powerful
act that you can do for yourself.
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:And when I saw this iconic,
beautiful community of women come
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:together throughout the entire week.
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:Okay.
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:Not just Lando Bash.
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:It was through the entire week
and weekend where I saw women come
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:together time and time again to
celebrate the sport that they love so
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:unapologetically and show up exactly
as they are without fear of judgment.
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:So to me.
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:When we all come together and
embrace who we are, right?
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:Embrace our most iconic selves,
that shines throughout, right?
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:And we attract people who are
also daring to be themselves.
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:We are creating and cultivating
this community of women who uplift
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:each other, who champion each
other, who elevate each other.
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:That is something that I will take with
me forever because it proves that this
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:messaging of dare to be iconic, right?
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:That foundation of what I
say dare to be iconic is,
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:is happening time and time again when
I see women come together and do that
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:exact thing and be exactly who they are.
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:And that is the one thing that I will
take away from Miami Grand Prix is the
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:magic of being who you are, embracing
it and how it attracts other people to
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:you who are also on that same mission.
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:Because we're all daring to
be iconic together because
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:daring to be iconic, right?
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:This journey of it is not only an
individualistic experience, or journey.
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:It's a community journey as well.
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:We are all on this
journey together and so.
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:When we come together, we rise together
and community truly is everything, and
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:that's what I'll take away from Miami.
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:Who do you want to see take
over the Miami podium next year?
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:Manifest it.
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:You know what?
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:I'm gonna be so controversial here,
and I'm not gonna say the answer that
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:you guys expect, which is Lando Norris.
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:I'm gonna say Nico Hulkenburg.
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:I wanna see him on the podium.
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:I wanna see him get his flowers.
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:It is in due time, and I will
sob seeing Nico get a podium.
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:And then on top of that.
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:I would love to see Yuki get
a podium in Miami next year.
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:Like I think that would be so
iconic, like literally so iconic.
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:Um, so yeah, I'm going so off the rails.
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:Very, very delusional.
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:And you know what?
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:I'm gonna manifest it Yuki and Nico.
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:I wanna see them on the podium
and I think it would be even
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:more iconic if it was in Miami.
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:I'm just saying.
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:Yeah, that's what I'm
manifesting for next year.
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:And my last question, in one word,
describe the Miami Grand Prix.
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:Well, that's easy.
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:The Miami Grand Prix is iconic
and always will be iconic.
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:All right, radiant icons.
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:That is your tea time sesh for today.
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:Time really does fly when you're having
fun because I love, love, love the Dare
385
:to be Iconic hotline specific tea time
seshes They're literally so much fun.
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:Like I love answering
your questions like I.
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:Oh my God.
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:But anyway, if you enjoy today's
episode, make sure to subscribe, to
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:leave a Rating, A review to tell your
friends about us, to tell everyone and
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:anyone, because we love more Radiance
icons in our iconic community of ours.
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:And I, again, I will never get
tired of saying that you guys
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:like, I literally love it.
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:And I love you guys.
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:So anyway, I will chat
with you guys next week.
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:Remember Radiant icons, dare to be iconic.
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:Bye.