For racing fans, Brad Pitt fans and those in between, the drama “F1” has made its way to theaters. Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, an aging driver enlisted to save a failing team fronted by a young hot shot (Damson Idris). The fast-paced movie aims for authenticity with help from a notable pro: Lewis Hamilton — the face of Formula One and a seven-time world champion — advised on technical details and has a producer credit. For those who have seen “F1,” and are looking to get their next full-throttle fix, these movies and shows, all available to stream, are worth a spin.
‘Grand Prix’ (1966)
Stream it on Watch TCM. Rent or buy it on major platforms.
Heralded as the lead car to which all racing films follow, John Frankenheimer’s movie broke ground with its innovative use of vehicle-mounted cameras, jarring real-life footage and quick-jump editing (now a staple in the genre). “Grand Prix” throws viewers into the action with first-person driver perspective; the camera cars reached nearly 200 miles per hour during shoots. The film’s star, James Garner, drove in every race and even caught fire during a filmed crash. Viewers would be forgiven for fast-forwarding through the sleepy love stories to skip right to the action, which earned “Grand Prix” three Oscars in technical categories. This racing-movie primer checks many boxes: speed, glamour, drama and a slick opening sequence in Monaco, F1’s undisputed Valhalla.
‘Senna: No Fear. No Limits. No Equal.’ (2011)
No documentary captures the heart of F1 better than “Senna,” which won two BAFTAs and masterfully weaves the story of Ayrton Senna da Silva, the Brazilian racer who figures prominently on F1’s Mt. Rushmore. Including never-before-seen footage from the Formula One archive, along with personal footage, the doc follows young Ayrton, seemingly born to race, as he relocates to Europe, battles discrimination and later, battles Formula One itself for driver safety. The model-handsome Senna typified the daring nature of F1 as he quickly became unstoppable in the rain, which can debilitate drivers. His three world championship wins made him a one-word brand and put Brazil on the racing map. Sadly, Senna’s determination to keep drivers safe was marked by his own tragic death in a 1994 crash. Poignant and powerful, “Senna” transcends racing as it documents a worldwide icon gone too soon.
‘Rush’ (2013)
Rent or buy it on major platforms.
Directed by Ron Howard and written by Peter Morgan (“The Crown”), this big-budget biopic pits the bad-boy British racer James Hunt against the methodical Austrian driver Niki Lauda as they battle during the 1976 Formula One season. Chiseled and dripping with ’70s-era swag, Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) is a talented scoundrel who clocks racy hookups with nurses, flight attendants and fans as fast as he takes 100-m.p.h. curves. Lauda (Daniel Brühl) is Hunt’s perfect foil, methodical and almost nerdy. The feisty feud is spirited and at times petty — until the catastrophic crash that left Lauda badly burned and facially disfigured. Hemsworth and Brühl perfectly portray two impulsive pros who lose it all, but find purpose, mutual respect and their own version of success.
‘Ford v Ferrari’ (2019)
Another tale of two huge and wildly different real-life personas marks a pivotal partnership in 1960s-era racing. Matt Damon stars as Carroll Shelby (a familiar name to racing fans), a LeMans champion tasked by Ford Motor Co. with beating the juggernaut Ferrari on the international stage. Christian Bale craftily channels Ken Miles, a maniacal British driver who is cast off by the racing companies he infuriates. The strategic Shelby convinces Miles to develop a car for Ford to win the 1966 LeMans race, which will determine the future of Ford Racing and, in many ways, America’s standing. Coolheaded Shelby and fiery Miles make for a dynamic duo in this keen depiction of racing’s redemption and its costs. Notably, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt were once tapped to lead.
‘F1: The Academy’ (2025)
Short of Danica Patrick, a former American NASCAR and IndyCar driver who’s now an F1 broadcaster, Formula One suffers from a dearth of female faces — despite a passionate female fan base. Eyeing a key demographic, Netflix cannily greenlit the series “F1: The Academy,” produced by Hello Sunshine, a company of which Reese Witherspoon is a founder. The reality show stars young, aspiring female racers as they race for a potential F1 berth in a sport dominated by men. F1 Academy, run by its managing director, Susie Wolff, scores points for its diverse roster of hopefuls — two are of Emirati descent — and might just showcase the next great female racer.
‘Gran Turismo’ (2023)
Inspired by the cult-favorite (and driver-favorite) video game, this loose biopic centers on Jann Mardenborough, a young Brit recruited to a program targeting top gamers and transitioning them into actual racers. Orlando Bloom plays the smooth-talking team founder who pairs up with a grizzled American former racer (David Harbour) to run the underdog operation. Harbour’s ever-doubtful Jack sees little potential in Jann (Archie Madekwe), but tenderly mentors him after Jann’s crash that kills a spectator. Harbour is the true standout playing sensei to the protégé. Though the film drifts at times into near promotional fawning for PlayStation, its action redlines into a popcorn pleaser that should leave fans cheering by the checkered flag.
‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’ (2017-present)
Netflix has invested heavily in this bingeable reality series that goes behind the scenes with F1’s biggest stars. Season 6’s “Leap of Faith” episode is a must-watch: In it, Lewis Hamilton mulls his decision to re-sign with Mercedes, his longtime home. Season 7’s “In the Heat of the Night” episode follows five of F1’s most dynamic, next-gen drivers as they head to Singapore, handing them the camera to document the action. Though it has faced some critique for staged or scripted story lines, “Drive to Survive” is still the definitive F1 reality series, blending blazing cockpit footage with sneak peeks of the glam, pressure and even the mundanity of that F1 life.
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