Formula 1 bills itself as one of the biggest spectacles in world sports with fast cars and luxury brands combining to put on a show.
And that is especially true when the parade rolls into Texas, where everything comes bigger.
AFPO’Neal towers over Lewis Hamilton on the podium[/caption]
Shaq got a close-up view of Max Verstappen’s winning carGetty
It takes quite a lot to upstage a sport that generates over $3billion a year in revenue.
But Shaquille O’Neal is no ordinary man.
Standing at seven feet one inch, the NBA icon towers over most basketball stars.
So watching him mixing with F1 drivers – typically smaller framed so extra weight can be added to the car – is a sight to behold.
Stars of the NFL and NBA are no stranger to the pitlane or the grid walk and in 2021, Shaq attended the U.S. Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.
He made his way onto the podium to present winner Max Verstappen with his trophy.
Verstappen was barely taller than the NBA great while standing on the top step – and second-placed Lewis Hamilton had no chance.
The Brit stands at five feet seven inches.
Estaban Ocon and Alex Albon are the tallest drivers at just over six feet.
The smallest is Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda at five feet two inches – almost two feet shorter than O’Neal.
GettyRed Bull boss Christian Horner (right) poses with the NBA great[/caption]
AFPDJ Diesel fuels the post-race party[/caption]
Shaq also stood out on the grid as he posed with Christian Horner.
As if his height wasn’t enough to grab the attention, he was paraded around the track with the trophy in a supersized custom Cadillac with longhorns mounted on the hood.
O’Neal also played a set as DJ Diesel.
He is billed as the World’s Biggest DJ – it’s hard to argue.
F1 is returning to Texas this week with Verstappen looking for another victory.
The Dutchman leads the standings on 331 points but Britain’s Lando Norris is ready to pounce on any slip-ups.
There will be plenty of celebrities around the course, but it is unlikely any will match Shaq for making a big impression.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are among the sports star investors of F1 team Alpine and have been seen on the grid in the past – but with their Kansas City Chiefs playing the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, they’ll be no chance for the Super Bowl champs to watch on.
