F1: The Movie

Many have asked me what I thought about the movie. Here’s a quick recap.

I waited to be in the UK to see if with the Parkers, my F1 people, whilst on my British GP trip. None of us had heard much about it - by design. “Don’t tell me!”

OK, except for Karo, via her Mercedes Benz AMG F1 team colleagues - she couldn’t really keep away from it at the office after opening weekend.

Here’s my shit sandwich about it. Don’t want me to spoil it, stop here and come again!

The score was great. Hans always throws down dope tracks. In fact, we listened to the album most of the weekend. And I’ve got it in my ears right now as I write this bit. I’ll be pumping it all summer long in my B&Os and in the Wrangler.

I thought the writing was good - meaning, the actual script. I giggled quite a bit at some of the inside jokes. I liked how it was written for a newbie fan with basic explanations of how the sport works, from legit veteran announcers like Brundle and Crofty.

Now, the storyline was soooo disappointing. I have 99 reasons, and the portrayal of women in the movie is the main one. COME ON! One makes a mistake right at the beginning of the movie. When Sonny later backs her up in the name of teamwork, she asks him to NOT do that. The way I see it, the whole world is male dominated - when one, especially a powerful one, advocates for equality, I’d like to hear us say thank you. Instead, she spends the remaining 2 hours recovering from one mistake, as if it defines her. I almost threw up in my mouth a little bit.

The other woman character - the actual technical director - ends up in a one night stand, with the driver (how cliché). The story would have been so much better if she kept her professional boundary and made him chase her. For the record, this isn’t the kind of love, at work I’m talking about. Oh, it happens, I am sure, but I don’t think we need to set a cultural standard about it in a $200M budget movie + another $100M in marketing.

Extra: If Alonzo and Lewis are getting too old in F1 years, Brad Pitt, excuse me - Sonny Hayes is ancient. Also, I don’t know any driver that would get away with the moves he pulled on the track (danger!) and calling strategy from the cockpit isn’t customary. Drivers drive. Technical directors direct. They exchange information as part of their collaboration. I would have loved to see more of that. In 30 minutes less, if possible.

To finish on a high, the cinematography was pretty captivating. Fast moving, almost realistic even. The strobe warning was warranted, even though we saw it in a regular theater. Truth is, I might see it again in IMAX for the full effect, and for the actual racing bits I missed - apparently they come out the pit lane the wrong way?!

For the haters, I get it, it’s not real.

Except real people are watching it. By the millions.

We can do better.