With unseen archive footage and interviews with the sport's greatest names, this Sky original docuseries celebrates the incredible 70-year history of Formula 1.
Senna: The Test (2017) explores a unique moment in Ayrton Senna's career when, on December 20, 1992, he tested a Penske IndyCar in Phoenix, Arizona. Amid frustrations with McLaren, Senna briefly considered switching to IndyCar, with this test marking his only serious exploration of American racing. The documentary, created by Marshall Pruett and Travis Long, features insights from figures like Emerson Fittipaldi and Rick Mears, capturing this rare event in Senna’s life and his motivations during a challenging period in his career.
Ronnie Peterson nicknamed “Superswede” was the fastest formula 1-driver in the 70s who never became a world champion.
The story of New Zealander Bruce McLaren, who founded the McLaren Motor Racing team, showing the world that a man of humble beginnings could take on the elite of motor racing and win.
The new decade brought a record number of entries for the start of the season. Expectations were high that the champions of 1979, Ferrari and Jody Scheckter, could be beaten. Enter Team Williams and Alan Jones - the new force in a bright new era for Formula One racing. But it took the entire 1980 season before the victory was in the bag. Jones took the opening race, but then faltered. Brabham’s Nelson Piquet took advantage in the interim, completing a spectacular double in the Dutch and US GPs to lead the championship with two races remaining. It was up to Williams and Jones to pull out all the stops to seize the title.
1977 saw Niki Lauda start the season, scarred but fit. And determined to put his horrific accident in '76 behind him. Despite Lauda's poor start and total of only 3 wins for the season, he picked up points at all but three GPs, and was rewarded for his consistency with his second championship victory. Lauda chose not to complete the season, and instead, Ferrari gave the drive to a young and ambitious Gilles Villeneuve.
1976 saw reigning Champion Niki Lauda start as the favourite in his Ferrari, as nearest rival Emerson Fittipaldi made the patriotic switch from McLaren to the Brazilian-funded Copersucar team. This left a hole at McLaren, filled by the ambitious, British hopeful, James Hunt, to set the scene for a dramatic season of racing. 1976 will probably be best remembered for Lauda's horrific accident at the Nurburgring that nearly ended his life and saw him rushed to hospital with major burns. His resilience and dedication to racing saw him make a remarkable recovery, returning six weeks later to ensure a thrilling climax to a season that ended with only one point separating 1st and 2nd place in the championship. Again it was the last eventful race in Japan that decided the title.
Emerson Fittipaldi is a racing legend renowned for his achievements in Formula One and IndyCar racing. Fittipaldi burst onto the international racing scene in the late 1960s, showcasing his exceptional talent and speed. In Formula One, he clinched two World Drivers' Championships in 1972 and 1974, driving for Lotus and McLaren, becoming the youngest champion at that time. Fittipaldi's smooth driving style and strategic prowess made him a formidable competitor on the track. Transitioning to American open-wheel racing, Fittipaldi found success in the Indianapolis 500, winning the prestigious race twice in 1989 and 1993. His versatility and adaptability across different racing disciplines solidified his status as one of the most versatile and accomplished drivers of his era. Beyond his racing career, Fittipaldi has been involved in various business ventures and continues to be a respected figure in the motorsport world, inspiring generations of racers with his passion and dedication to the sport.
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