In Rush, Ron Howard has the world at the edge of their seats telling the story of a single season in Formula1 history, the 1976 season of James Hunt versus Niki Lauda, but in the documentary 1 (2013), director Paul Crowder not only includes this battle but he incorporates the drama and politics surrounding F1’s history and rise in pop culture. As sponsors poured in money, cars became faster and drivers tragically killed every season something needed to be done. It was up to the drivers and fans to demand change. 1’s story is told first hand by world champion drivers like Jackie Stewart, Michael Schumacher, and Mario Andretti amongst others.
While safety is a key component to modern F1 cars, this wasn’t always the case—this film explores this as well as the battles between driver’s needs and marketing prerogatives. The documentary also combines stories of “the way it was” with “the way it is” into a one-hour-and-fifty-minute movie sure to satisfy the appetite of any motorsports enthusiast.
This behind-the-scenes look at F1 pulls the curtains back on a sport that has often been filled with exaggerated rumors and soap opera secrecy (Has a race ever been fixed? Who really has the final say during an official race dispute? Why were so many drivers being killed?).
Watch this movie to discover everything you’ve always wanted to know about F1 and marvel at things you didn’t know existed. It’s in select theaters and available for download on iTunes.
Click here to buy the movie on iTunes.
Image Sources: facebook.com/1thefilm
