Film news: Five great motorsport movies - Rush, Ford vs Ferrari, Senna and more
F1, NASCAR, IndyCar, Le Mans and MotoGP are just some of the great motorsports enjoyed by fans across the globe.
Dramatic, tense, enthralling and edge-of-your-seat viewing is expected whilst watching these sports - so it is no wonder there is a plethora of motorsport movies available for you to watch.
Here, Film News Blitz’s writer Harry Whitfield takes you through five of the best motorsport films of all time.
5. Grand Prix (1966)
Grand Prix follows the story of four Formula 1 drivers during a fictionalised version of the 1966 season.
It stars an ensemble cast of James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand and many more.
The film included a lot of real-life racing footage and even had cameos from F1 World Champions Phil Hill, Graham Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt and Jack Brabham.
For its time, Grand Prix displays a rather detailed picture of what F1 was like and hooks you in with its incredible depictions of racing at circuits such as the Circuit de Monaco.
There have been many attempts at recreating the magic of F1, often not successful, but Grand Prix delivers and with the plot alone this film is a must-watch.
The new upcoming film titled ‘F1’ starring Brad Pitt is arriving in cinemas in 2025 and promises to be another film that represents the sport of F1 with great authenticity.
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4. Cars (2006)
A personal favourite of mine, the 2006 animated Pixar movie Cars follows the story of cocky rookie race car Lightning McQueen in his bid to win the Piston Cup.
However, on his way to the final and crucial race, he gets lost and stuck in a forgotten place called Radiator Springs, just off the US Route 66.
The film follows Lighting McQueen as he meets Mater, Doc Hudson (veteran race car) and Sally in a funny, captivating and entertaining animated picture.
Although primarily a kids movie, Cars is a great watch for all ages and includes many different real-life racers in its three films such as Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Dale Earnhardt Jr and many more.
3. Rush (2013)
Rush is a biographical sports film following the 1976 F1 season and the rivalry between two racing drivers - the arrogant but bold British racing driver James Hunt and the cool, tactical Austrian racing driver Niki Lauda.
Chris Hemsworth plays Hunt and Daniel Brühl brilliantly captures the essence of Lauda.
The two drivers come through the ranks together of Formula 3 to F1 with different pathways into the big leagues.
The film follows their many on-track battles and off-track clashes, showcasing their talent and bravery whilst capturing the sheer brutality of the sport.
With the music score done by the extraordinary Hans Zimmer, this film is a true classic of motorsport films.
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2. Senna (2010)
The 2010 documentary depicts the life and death of the legendary Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna, who became a three-time world champion in F1.
It was produced by Asif Kapadia and features very little narration and guidance.
Instead, it uses raw footage, and home video clips provided by the Senna family, to detail his career from the start to his tragic end at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
It also focuses on his rivalry with the great French racing driver Alain Prost.
A new mini-series with the same name is set to be released on November 29 on Netflix, portraying the life of Senna.
Brazilian actor and musician Gabriel Leone will portray the 41-time Grand Prix winner.
1. Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Ford v Ferrari follows the attempts of Ford, with American automotive designer Carroll Shelby and English racing driver Ken Miles, trying to beat Ferrari at the historic 1966 24 hours of Le Mans race.
Matt Damon plays Shelby and Christian Bale stars as Miles, who is very hot-tempered and has a no-nonsense approach.
Shelby is employed by Henry Ford II to beat Enzo Ferrari’s team at Le Mans and he insists that they must use Miles as one of the drivers.
The film details the many events leading up to the final race and the struggles they encounter to get there.
This movie is well shot, with a great use of sound and a plot that keeps you intrigued throughout the entirety of the picture.
Bale is especially fantastic in this role and the relationship between Miles and Shelby is complicated but entertaining to watch.
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