“1” Amazing night in Austin

Jackie Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi at the red carpet special presenations of "1" at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas on November 15, 2012. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR THE COMPLETE GALLERY.

The following is by AGP contributor Scooter Womack. Scooter is an active participant in the Austin motorsports scene and attended the premiere of "1" as the kick off to the F1 festivities in Austin, Texas for Grand Prix weekend.  

So there they were standing on stage performing like a seasoned comedy act that had been from city to city performing and entertaining for years. Even though they got plenty of laughs and chuckles from the crowd, they aren’t comedians, though they have plenty of experience with taking their show on the road—or track I might say. I’m referring to Sir Jackie Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi. They are racing legends and even more iconic and revered by racing insiders for their roles in shaping the sport we see today.  However on this night they were readying the crowd for an incredibly well done film. They made us laugh, told us we might cry, and reminded us all why we love Formula 1.

It’s an experience I’ll not soon forget. As an existing fan of Formula 1 I must say it was quite surreal to be in the same airspace with men like Bernie Ecclestone, Sir Jackie, Emerson, Damon Hill, Eddie Jordan, and many others—literally sharing the same aisle and after party table with some. But when you clear away all the pomp and circumstance that tags along with Formula 1 they’re just people. In my experience, if you extend a hand, they’ll extend it back. They’ll have a drink with you and partake in some chips and guacamole if you like. The thing I’ll remember most about the night won’t be how revered and how high on a pedestal we all hold these men.  It will be, rather, how grounded, down to earth, and approachable these men are when you greet them as men, not masters.

The 1996 Melbourne Grand Prix is where the film “1” opens with a bang. I sat there watching, knowing what was about to come, and my heart was still pounding. Martin Brundle’s Jordan flies into the air, flips, lands upside down, and slams into the wall. Everyone expects the worst. After all it was only two years before that Ayrton Senna died in an accident that didn’t look nearly this bad. However, because of the sacrifices and stands taken by Brundle’s predecessors to push the pace of safety as well as quicker track times, he runs back to the pits and hops in a spare car. “1” shares the story of how the sport got where we are today. It’s a story that should be known by all F1 fans.

// More About "1"

"1" is a high octane, action documentary that combines never-before-seen archive footage with a rich soundtrack and the most impressive list of Formula 1 interviewees ever assembled, including 12 World Champions past and present. Exclusive Media’s Spitfire Pictures hosted the red carpet special presentation of "1" as the kick off to the F1 festivities in Austin, TX on Thursday November 15th, 2012.

Directed by Paul Crowder and written by Mark Monroe, the film brings the glamour, speed, danger and excitement of Formula One Grand Prix racing to the big screen. "1" tells the story of the golden age of F1, when the sport became terrifyingly dangerous and the drivers were like rock stars with charisma and raw talent, but with many of them paying the ultimate price. “1” follows the story of the drivers who raced on the edge and those who stood up to change the sport forever. It is about the greatest show on earth - Formula 1.

In attendance at the Austin red carpet event were: Bernie Ecclestone, CEO and President of F1 Management & F1 Administration; Brett Lunger, Former F1 Driver; Damon Hill, Former F1 Driver; Emerson Fittipaldi, Former F1 Driver; Eric Boullier, Principal of Lotus F1 and Vice Chairman of the F1 Teams Association; Martin Brundle, Former F1 Driver; Sir Jackie Stewart, Former F1 Driver; Paul Crowder, “1” Director; Mark Monroe, “1” Writer; Michael Shevloff, “1” Producer; Guy East, “1” Executive Producer; and Glen Zipper, “1” Executive Producer.

To keep up to date with the film's release in your area, take a look at their Facebook and Twitter pages.

"1" Documentary to Premiere During F1 Week in Austin

A new, properly dubbed "action documentary" will be screened at a special presentation at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas on November 15. Presented by SXSW and Circuit of The Americas, the debut of "1" will take place on the eve of the first Formula 1 events in Austin.

The film tells the tale of the dangerous and fast times of the 1960s and '70s, a period of racing where man and machine fought tirelessly on track.  As technical improvements yielded considerably faster cars, the scales tipped as speed out paced driver safety. At an alarming rate, talented drivers began to lose their lives as control of these magnificent machines became more difficult with each race.

Known as the golden age of F1, the '60s and '70s defined the character of the sport: a battle of man and machine taking place at the world's most exotic locations, encircled by the most glamorous and elite personalities. With the dangerous nature of the sport came incredible stories of triumph and failure, turning drivers into icons of sport as the capacity of human performance was tested each race.

To capture the essence of this period, the film includes rare archival footage and first hand accounts from an incredible collection of guests such as Bernie Ecclestone, Max Mosley and Prof. Sid Watkins, along with 12 F1 world champions including Niki Lauda, Sir Jackie Stewart, John Surtees, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jody Scheckter, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel.

The premiere of "1" kicks off with a special red carpet arrival of world champion drivers and several special guests from the F1 community. Held at Austin's iconic Paramount Theater on Congress Avenue, the premiere will further ignite excitement for the return of the United States Grand Prix after a five year absence.

Tickets for the premiere are available for purchase from the Paramount Theater: 

Click Here To Buy Your Tickets to See "1"

For more details and to join the growing conversation about the film on Facebook or Twitter, be sure to like their page and use the hashtag #1thefilm as details about the full release schedule slated for Spring 2013.  

// Contest Alert

We're very excited to offer you this chance to see the new "1" feature documentary! The Austin Grand Prix is giving away 10 tickets to see "1" at the Paramount Theater for the premiere event.  Here's how you can win one of 5 pairs of tickets:

1. In the comments below, tell us who some of your favorite F1 drivers and personalities are from this Golden Age.

2. "Like" our post about "1" on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/AustinGrandPrix 

3. Retweet our Tweet about "1" on Twitter: Twitter.com/AustinGrandPrix. Use the hashtag #1thefilm!

4. "Like" our related photo on Instagram: Instagram.com/AustinGrandPrix

Any of the methods will get you an entry. Winners will be drawn at random on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Winners will be notified in the manner that they enter the contest and if the winner does not claim the tickets by 9AM CT Thursday, Nov. 15, they will be given away to another entrant. Winner responsible for all other taxes and fees, if any, associated with the ticket giveaway.

BOOK REVIEW: THE BATTLE FOR THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX

THE BATTLE FOR THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX

By Alan Henry

Published by: Haynes Publishing

ISBN: 978 1 84425 974 8

Price: $25.00

// Review

The British Grand Prix has become a hotbed of political and commercial intrigue over the past dozen years of its history. Although fingers have been pointed at Bernie Ecclestone, the consummate ‘puppet-master’ of the Formula One scene, for allowing the situation to proliferate, this 232 page hardback may help to redress the balance.

As an event, the importance of the British round of the premier series cannot be ignored. After all, it was the very first round of the FIA World Championship, when it was inaugurated in May 1950, and its past has certainly been exceptionally colourful, welcoming the great and the glorious of Formula One‘s past to its county venue, some 60 miles north of the City of London.

However, as a reliable and much-lauded journalist, the author’s inside track of knowledge and his innate ability to get directly in front of the sport’s main protagonists are what make this book so engagingly readable. Alan Henry’s background research is unimpeachable and you will be amazed at the various implications discussed in its content. Trust me, when I tell you that it is a fantastic read.

With any good fortune (and a following breeze), Silverstone’s future as ‘The Home of British Motor Sport’ does look somewhat more assured in recent times, a factor that lies clearly at the door of its present management structure, even though the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) remains the stoical owner and overseer of all things related to Silverstone Circuits.

From Russia With Love: SBK

SBK at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah - May, 2012

World Superbike Championship (SBK) follows World Series by Renault (WSR) as the second international racing event to be held at Moscow Raceway. The newest addition to the international motorsports venue collection, Moscow Raceway will play host to numerous national and international events such as German DTM, FIA GT1, WSR, and SBK. 

The new circuit opened in July this year and welcomed WSR as its first event. American driver Alexander Rossi took to the track and finished P11 in Race 1 and P5 in Race 2, a solid position for the first event held on the new circuit.

Today's SBK race is the first two-wheeled event to be held at the circuit and should be exciting. New circuits have a constantly evolving track surface which makes controlling the bikes a more delicate strategy than a seasoned track. You'll want to tune in to SPEED TV and watch Race 1 at 3pm CDT and Race 2 at 4pm CDT to witness it firsthand. Though the event has concluded, there's no spoilers here. I'm avoiding the internet until I can watch this race and see how the bikes do on this new circuit.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the fan attendance at the race as well. Russia is beefing up it's motorsports collection to increase its global appeal. In addition to this new Moscow Raceway, the 2014 Olympics Winter Games' Olympic Park Circuit is under construction, and both are working to appeal to the international crowd. Bernie Ecclestone signed a seven year contract to host Formula 1 in Sochi beginning in 2014, so the F1 world is keeping an eye on Russia to see if they're falling in love with international motorsports.