On Sunday, Nov. 26, the final race of the 2023 season of Formula 1 occurred in Abu Dhabi, UAE. If you’re a tifosi like myself and support Scuderia Ferrari, or are patiently waiting for Lando Norris to win his first race, there is never a dull moment during a race weekend. The excitement of the practices and qualifying race culminates in the main attraction of Grand Prix Sunday. Watching all 20 of the world’s greatest drivers is quite exhilarating, and there’s always something to talk about. As I continue to watch, I’ve grown fond of certain drivers and teams, to the point where wins and losses feel somewhat personal. So, when the final race of the season concluded, I may have gone through some withdrawals. In that regard, I figured there are others going through the same thing as me. With that being said, I’ve compiled a list of ways to get my F1 fix until the winter break ends on Feb. 29, 2024.
Watch Youtube
MClaren Official youtube channel
While F1 has its own official YouTube channel, most of the teams have their own channels too. Whether you’re loyal to a team or a specific driver, the team channels are a great way to get to know the drivers on a more personal level. While in the past I’ve loudly yelled “Forza Ferrari!” at my television, I also switched out Ferrari Red for McLaren Papaya. McLaren has been in their comeback era in the past few years, and it’s in part due to their strong team pairings. The 2023 McLaren lineup consisted of Brit Lando Norris in his fifth season of Formula 1, and Aussie Oscar Piastri in his rookie season. Arguably my two favorite drivers (sorry Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz!), I never tire of their antics. Oscar’s quiet wit mixed with Lando’s sarcastic humor truly makes for a duo of the ages.
Listen to a podcast
Two girls 1 formula
Podcasts aren’t for everyone, and that’s okay! But if you’re like me, there’s no better way to end a day than to listen to a fun podcast and enjoy a good conversation on a topic you’re passionate about. Two Girls 1 Formula, or TG1F is a lovely podcast hosted by Kate and Nicole, two friends who are self-proclaimed fangirls of Formula 1. Kate and Nicole are paving the way for female F1 fans, and aren’t afraid to share their opinions and hot takes about what’s happening in and out of the paddock. They’ve attended the Las Vegas and Austin Grand Prix, been hosted by teams at events, and have even interviewed Haas team principal Guenther Steiner. The future of Formula 1 is female, and Nicole and Kate are making space for female fans of all ages.
watch f1 related movies and tv
Netflix’s Drive to survive
Drive to Survive is pretty controversial in the F1 community: on one hand, it introduced a lot of fans to the sport, while on the other, it’s heavily dramatized and sometimes staged. However, the latter is sometimes just the price we pay to enjoy documentary-style “reality” television. On the whole, Drive to Survive is a great way to go behind the scenes of F1, due to its narrative-style episodes that follow a certain driver or just an overall event that happened during a given season. I thoroughly enjoyed the show, as I really liked how the episodes were long and felt like they covered a lot of important events during the season. Be as it may, I did take some of the events with a grain of salt, as I knew Netflix was occasionally constructing false narratives.
Stalk the drivers’ socials
ALEX ALBON, Photo Dump icon
I feel like I shouldn’t have to preface this, but just to be safe: please do not actually stalk these men! They’re just people, like you and me! But I get it, sometimes you need a driver fix. Luckily, we live in the age of technology and social media, and the men on the grid are pretty good at giving their fans what they want. Williams Racing driver Alex Albon is a wonderful example of such. Albon is a young guy with a good sense of humor, and he understands his audience and how they really just want a small inside look at his personal life. Albon’s photo dumps usually have a fun caption, contain pictures of what he does in his free time, and commonly feature his girlfriend, professional golfer Lily Muni He.
Support the drivers’ other endeavors
Charles leclerc, f1 driver and part-time youtuber
While the drivers are athletes first and foremost, a good amount of the men on the grid have side projects! Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, for example, has a YouTube channel that posts cinematic videos of Leclerc’s time on and off the track. Most of his videos revolve around Grand Prix weekends, but some showcase his time spent in his home country of Monaco or training for the upcoming season. The videos are beautifully shot and edited, and Charles has such a warm and welcoming presence about him that you really can’t help but cheer for him. Just look at that smile! That is the smile of a man who deserves everything good in this world, and I wholeheartedly stand by that.
It’s Lights out, and away we go…
It’s going to be quite some time until we once again get to hear the sounds of V6 engines grace our screens and ears. While February 2024 seems like a lifetime away, (hopefully) it’ll be here faster than we know it. On the rare occasion I start to go crazy and my coping mechanisms may eventually result in me needing to go touch grass, but as of now there is plenty of Formula 1 content out there to keep me sane. While my next few weekends might not be as interesting without a Grand Prix to watch, I am extremely excited to see what the 2024 season has in store!