Formula 1 is the newest ‘it’ girl of sports. Unless you have been living under a rock, Formula 1 is international car racing. Or in other words, guys driving super fast sports cars around in circles racing for a giant trophy at the end of a year.
Formula 1 comprises ten teams with two drivers for each team. Every year, each team builds their very own car from scratch. Almost like upgraded boujee legos. They then race these cars along elaborate tracks in cities around the world. Teams jet set everywhere from Monte Carlo to Shanghai to Abu Dhabi. At each race, teams try to collect the most points which go towards their grand total for the season, in hopes of culminating the season in a win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in late November.
During Race Weekend, there are a series of practice runs where the teams go through the course, testing out any changes they may need to make to the car, and developing a strategy for how they will maximize their points amongst both drivers. The day before the race is called ‘Qualifiers’ where teams race for a starting spot in the grid for the next day. A team’s qualifying time is vital as it not only determines where they start on the grid the next day, but most of the time determines who will win the Grand Prix. This is because it is hard to overtake other cars, and the Grand Prix tracks usually have sharp turns and narrow streets. Most of the races are won by those who qualify well.
The following day is race day, when drivers get suited up like Marvel Avengers, and get ready to race to win.
If all of this sounded like complete nonsense to you, and you are wondering why you should ever take sports recommendations from a girl who will never truly understand football or golf, I will give you the one credential I do have on the matter. I worked as an intern with the Texas Rangers Baseball Club this past summer. I now know an ungodly amount of knowledge on baseball, but I do feel qualified to speak about Formula 1 as I have been a super fan for a long time. Plus, the sport easily blows baseball out of the water.
If you’re wondering how I actually started getting invested in Formula 1, it was over the summer through the Netflix series “Drive to Survive”. Well, let me rephrase that. My older sister, for months, had been begging me to watch the show. I am a bit stubborn at times, so I consistently refused – even though she has never steered me wrong when it.
comes to TV recommendations. I eventually got tired of never knowing why she woke up at the crack of dawn to watch races, and her intense obsession with teams like Ferrari and Mercedes, so I gave in. From episode one, I was hooked. Think of it like a sporty Keeping Up with the Kardashians. There is drama, glamor, intensity, and hope. Each season follows the different stories of drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Carlos Sainz as they navigate the difficult, yet rewarding F1 season.
It is a reality show like no other. I mean, who doesn’t want to watch Greek-god-like males race around a circle fighting with each other for the finish line? The Netflix show ignited a newfound love for Formula 1 for not only me, but the world. The show is unique because of its ability to appeal to a wide audience. Before watching the show, I could not understand the hype around Formula 1 Racing Cars. I can do that at an indoor go-karting rink. Yet the show has this magic – it not only focuses on the complexity of the sport, but highlights dreamy destinations, amazing fashion, and the touching relationships that are at the core of the Formula 1 world. The show has something for everyone, turning its viewers into avid followers.
You also never know what you are going to get in any Formula 1 season. It is this unpredictability that makes every race so entertaining. One race, a team might completely dominate because their car is better suited for the track, the temperature of the location, or even the course, while in another race a new team might take the win. The cars are also unpredictable, and so are the members of the crew that change the tires. You see seasoned professionals crack under the pressure of a Grand Prix and fail to properly attach a tire, resulting in it falling off mid-course. Or, you see cars that suddenly break down just moments after the green light went off to start the race. Each Grand Prix then functions as its own beast.
If I have not convinced you by now to watch the show, maybe I can entice you with one more thing. Doesn’t waking up at six am to watch fast luxury cars race around the world sound so fun? As an early riser myself, I think so. Although I might stand alone in that sentiment.