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We’ve once again been thrust into lockdown by COVID-19, unable to leave our homes in the evening and with more free time. For these empty times and for any other occasion, we’ve put together a list of the 15 best films, series and documentaries that look at the world of motorsports from different perspectives, with some of Help Flash’s special picks.
FILMS
Rush (2013)
Rush tells the incredible story of the rivalry between British driver James Hunt and Austrian Niki Lauda. The film’s plot focuses on the 1976 crash which almost claimed Lauda’s life. (Source Filmaffinity).
Trailer: https://dai.ly/x7tzg2n
Available on: Movistar +, Netflix (Subscription), Apple TV, Rakuten TV and Microsoft (Rent and buy).
Ford v. Ferrari (2019)
The film follows an eccentric, determined team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary Carroll Shelby and his British driver Ken Miles. Henry Ford II and Lee Lacocca give them the mission of building from scratch an entirely new car with the potential to finally overthrow Ferrari’s dominance at the 1966 Le Mans World Championship. (Source Filmaffinity).
Trailer: https://dai.ly/x7tzjmh
Available on: Movistar + (Subscription), Apple TV, Rakuten TV and Microsoft (Rent and buy).
Le Mans (1971)
The 1971 classic starring Steve McQueen playing an American driver who returns to France to compete in the legendary Le Mans race after a year away due to injury. While there, he falls in love with the widow of a former rival who died in the same accident that injured him. (Source Filmaffinity).
Help Flash’s pick…
Una mañana fría (2019)
In 1986, a car accident in Reinosa changes Rosi’s life forever. Unable to accept her brother’s death, the Madrilian spends years searching for him in the north of Spain. 33 years later, Rosi returns to the site of the accident with her daughter; but this time, she’s not looking for him, but a reunion between past and present. (Source Filmaffinity).
Trailer: https://dai.ly/x7tzjv6
Available on: Amazon Prime (Subscription).
SERIES
Le Mans: Racing is Everything (2017)
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a race like no other. Taking place in France every year, it’s an endurance test for cars and racing drivers that takes a full day to complete. Shot from Kuala Lumpur to the Costa Azul and offering an in-depth look at the teams who put it all on the line for glory, Le Mans: Racing is Everything is a glimpse into motorsports like never before.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/uNEx5WnmiHA
Available on: Amazon Prime (Subscription).
Formula 1: Drive to Survive (2019)
Documentary series about the world of Formula 1 from the producers of Senna and Amy. It goes one step further into the lives of the drivers as we get to know their families, friends and the world behind the races. (Source Filmaffinity).
Trailer: https://dai.ly/x7swrjm
Available on: Netflix (Subscription)
The Grand Tour (2016)
The three former presenters of BBC’s popular motoring show Top Gear—Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond—are back with their same antics, this time for Amazon. The three hosts, along with Andy Wilman, have signed a 36-show, 3-year deal for Amazon Prime. (Source Filmaffinity)
Trailer: https://youtu.be/oK0lkrtYvVs
Available on: Amazon Prime (Subscription)
Grand Prix Driver (2018)
Grand Prix Driver looks back at McLaren-Honda’s difficult start to the season where they were, once again, slow to achieve a performance competitive enough to compete with the midfield teams. It wasn’t until after the middle of the season when the British began to enter the top ten more frequently, although the turning point for the team would come with the announcement of their break with Honda and agreement with Renault to power from 2018. (Source Filmaffinity).
Trailer: https://youtu.be/pVCwf6__yB0
Available on: Amazon Prime (Subscription).
The Gymkhana Files (TV Series)
The Gymkhana Files shows viewers the ins and outs of one of the wildest and most successful viral video franchises, with over 500 million views online and growing steadily. This eight-episode unscripted series follows famed motorsports star Ken Block and his Hoonigans team as they try to create the best racing video ever seen at the Wold Rallycross Championship. (Source Filmaffinity)
Trailer: https://youtu.be/VkIdD5jUClU
Available on: Amazon Prime (Subscription)
Help Flash’s pick…
Fernando (2020)
This docuseries offers a behind-the-scenes look at two-time Formula 1 world champion, Spanish driver Fernando Alonso. Featuring five episodes, it puts Alonso’s passion for competing at the highest level and this firm resolution to win on display. Documenting the past year, from his participation in the most important circuits such as the Indianápolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and culminating in his first Dakar Rally in January, Fernando gives an all-access look into his life for Formula 1 fans. Alonso’s closest circle also make appearances in the documentary, including his manager Luis García Abad, sister Lorena Alonso, partner Linda Morselli and friend Carlos Sainz, who reveal more about the man behind the champion. (Source Filmaffinity).
Trailer: https://dai.ly/x7vjwly
Available on: Amazon Prime (Subscription).
DOCUMENTARIES
McQueen: The Man & Le Mans
Documentary about legendary actor Steve McQueen and the making of his classic 1971 film Le Mans, this is the story about the star’s quest to make ‘the ultimate racing motion picture’. To give a sense of the film legend’s passion for the sport, he used to say, ‘When you’re racing, it’s life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting.’ (Source Filmaffinity).
Trailer: https://dai.ly/x7tzh6t
Available on: Prime video, Filmin (Subscription), Apple TV, Rakuten TV (Rent and buy)
Senna, 2010
Documentary film about the life and death of legendary Brazilian motor-racing champion Ayrton Senna (1960-1994), from his debut in 1984 to his premature death a decade later at the San Marino Grand Prix. Featuring unedited and sometimes shocking material dug out from the Formula 1 archives. (Source Filmaffinity).
Trailer: https://dai.ly/x7tzf93
Available on: Netflix (Subscription).
A Life of Speed: The Juan Manuel Fangio Story (2020)
Inspired by a study conducted by the University of Sheffield in 2016, which concluded that Juan Manuel Fangio is the best F1 pilot in history, A Life of Speed: The Juan Manuel Fangio Story explores the man behind the myth over his career and personal life to understand what spurred him and other drivers to risk their lives racing in cars that go at the same speeds as today’s automobiles but with little to no safety precautions, many of whom wouldn’t survive past the end of the season. (Source Filmaffinity).
Trailer: https://dai.ly/x7sy16c
Available on: Netflix (Subscription).
Williams (2017)
This documentary tells the story of the Williams Formula 1 team, from its inception to the present day. (Source Filmaffinity)
Trailer: https://youtu.be/_wAMk1sllp0
Available on: Netflix (Subscription).
Help Flash’s pick…
Albert Llovera, Las Alas del Fénix (2016)
This documentary looks at the life of athlete Albert Llovera. Albert Llovera, the youngest athlete to compete in the 1989 Olympic Games in Sarajevo, at 19 years old, suffered a serious accident which left him in a wheelchair with paraplegia. Despite this, he turned to motorsport and eventually competed in world rallying championships against non-disabled rivals.
The documentary features important figures sharing their opinion and testimony, including Javier Bardem, rally driver Carlos Sainz and the Fernandez Ochoa brothers. Their interviews talk about his great courage and integrity throughout his life.
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/16723643
Available on: https://www.gondolafilms.com/tienda2b2d831c/Albert-Llovera-Las-Alas-del-Fénix-p150943241 (Buy).
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