F1 (2025)

Good cinema is when someone like me, who cannot be more far removed from the F1 world, actually felt real connection to the people in it. Thanks Brad Pitt & team.

First of all, lemme fan girl for a moment. Brad Pitt is so insanely attractive. His emotional portrayal of drive, determination, care for what's important to him, loss, joy, loneliness, crave for adventure, willingness to experiment, serenity in solitude, respect for the craft, comfort in routine and 61 years of manly sexiness.

Lemme catch my breath.

Sonny Hayes is that underdog come back story hero we all secretly want to be. Every single one of us feels like the underdog. There's always going to be someone that we look up to, dead or alive. Those who dare to experiment in life are more prone to failures and mass ridicule. Because there is so much more comfort in blending in, joining the laugh, than being on stage: all spotlight on me. That's not how I choose to live. I can relate with Sonny Hayes.

Life can beat us again and again but until they found a way to draw all blood from our engine, we will find a way to move. We start moving because we have to. It's the only we can minimize the surface area beating. As our muscle warmed up, as we moved faster, it became harder and harder to beat our weak spot and suddenly, life can't catch up with us anymore.

We're flying.

We're in our meditative state: sensory awareness and purpose driven.

Underdog no more, we notice those who are hurting, who are lost, who are blending in with the circus. They bother us no more.

We are neither a savior nor a toy.

During my research for this post, I came across all the respectable F1 drivers from whom this movie drew inspiration from, in particular Mika Häkkinen's journey. Mika aka "the Flying Finn" career in F1 started the same year I was born. Within 4 short years, he experienced the most traumatic crash that required on "an emergency tracheotomy on the track, delivering oxygen to enable Häkkinen to breathe." 87 days, less than 3 months was all it took Mika to heal and back behind the wheels. 1997, 2 years, was all it took for Mika to win his first F1 championship, 6 years into his F1 career. Can you imagine what his thoughts were day-in, day-out? I have so much respect for him, as well as all the people in his life at that time who supported him. Together, they were the underdog heros in this come back story.