Skip to main content

4 Things I Learned About Formula 1 Racing

A few friends recommended the Formula 1: Drive to Survive show on Netflix so I started watching it on my own one afternoon ... and have really gotten into it. 

I think mostly because it's SUCH a departure from my usual interests. But also because there's interesting characters and it's a world that's totally new and foreign to me. So it's super fascinating.

As I'm starting season 3, I started to think of all the new things I've learned about racing from the show ...  
  1. Did you know they are in those race cars for about 90 minutes? So not only is it taxing for the cars and tires, etc, but the drivers need to maintain that perfect focus for more than an HOUR on the track. I can't even imagine it how intense that is. 
  2. It's a rich, white man's sport. Just know that going in. 
  3. There are teams from all over Europe, but it's an English sport, so the official language is English. All the accents are entertaining. 
  4. Drivers must be pretty fit to compete, because their body moves around so much in the car, getting jarred to the right and left. They need to be ready for impact at all times. Plus, they must maintain a certain weight for the dynamics of the car and they get officially weighed at each race. Also, they have to be attractive, to interest advertisers. Some are really cute. 
  5. The cars are homemade by each racing companies like really expensive engineering experiments. It's not like they buy them ready-made. 
  6. The logistics of a race season amazes me. Sixteen races all over the world. They have teams that set up fully-functional offices/garages at every venue, including a cafeteria and meeting rooms. Plus the garages and all the extra car parts/tires, etc. I can't even imagine the shipping containers, etc. that get moved around the world. 
  7. There are only 20 drivers in Formula 1. That's it. So it's super competitive and cut-throat. Plus, the salaries are wide ranging, from millions to just a few hundred-thousand a year. I looked it up. 
It's the kind of sport you either care about, or you know almost nothing about, especially in the US. But now that I'm watching this, it's just a super engrossing dive into this crazy culture.

Anyway, if you're looking for something to watch that's outside the usual, this is a good one.  
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Family Room: The Accent Wall

Wall: Before Ever since I started to think about decorating this house -- way back in October -- I knew I wanted to do a dramatic accent wall in the family room. The room is huge with two-story ceilings. There are six windows on one wall and four more flanking the fireplace -- so this room could definitely handle a dark, rich color. A few design magazine, sites and HGTV shows later, navy blue stuck in my head. Like one design show I watch advocates, look to the clothes you wear often to help decide color -- which for me and Dave is denim. And we both have soft navy sweatshirts that are common weekend wear. Navy it was -- decided in December. So, each night since we moved in while watching TV I'd stare at the beige wall, that is slightly inset, and imagine it was navy blue. And I'd itch and wish to paint it. Now, with the new media cabinet arriving on Friday, it's finally time! Once we moved out the furniture pieces we no longer will need, we reoriented everything ...
Post a Comment
Keep reading »

Top 5 Spots in Tenerife: La Ortava and Hotel Mencey

3. La Ortava A charming old town in the valley above Puerto de la Cruz. In my memory, it was green and lush, but in reality it's a small village populated by ancient buildings and nice locals. The Casa de los Balcones is a popular tourist spot to pick up local lace and your own little balcony. We walked up and down the hilly streets, and discovered two stunning public gardens and a nice coffee shop. We also watched fancy-dressed wedding guests entering an old church. The bride, I'm sorry to report, was very, very late. View Down a Twisty Street in La Ortava The Famous Tourist Trap - Casa de los Balcones  Jardin Victoria With Quite a View! 4. Hotel Mencey and Parque Garcia Sanabria In Santa Cruz, the small city we used as home base, we stretched our budget a little to stay at the historic Hotel Mencey. It was a comfortable, well-maintained hotel in a great location. I love a hotel will a lot of common spaces to relax in, and this one had a bunch, all with beaut...
Post a Comment
Keep reading »

Thinking Spring...

Thinking Spring ... and testing out this new collage photo editor . These are from last Spring. I was taking pictures of where the daffodils were coming up (for next Spring) when this cherubic creature stepped into the garden.
1 comment
Keep reading »