In quarantine with AUTOhebdo – What’s on Netflix?

Well, we're not going to lie, it's good to follow the exhortations of right-thinking people to play sports in your tiny garden, but it's also a hell of a pleasure to give in to Netflix and chill. For non-English speakers, this is equivalent to the concept of TV set 2.0. 

Instead of switching between yet another Louis de Funès film and anxiety-provoking news, here is a list of films/series/documentaries on the theme of motorsport to enjoy. Please note, it is necessary to subscribe to a paid subscription to view them (from 7,99 euros per month for one screen)!

Do not miss

Formula 1: Drivers of their destiny

If you've never heard of this series, it's because you're stuck in front of a VHS of the 1997 season on a 4/3 screen! This series is already in its second season. Each episode focuses on a rivalry, personality or team. 

If the first season made Daniel Ricciardo the star of the show, between his frictions with Red Bull and its transfer to Renault, the new batch of 10 episodes lasting 27 to 40 minutes deals in particular with the setbacks of Haas, from the pressure put by Christian Horner on Pierre Gasly and failure Mercedes at home in Hockenheim. 

The + = nervous production, no time to get bored, some nugget sequences (Abiteboul vs Horner in season 1), perfect for discovering the F1

The – = the duels staged from scratch (Sainz Jr vs Ricciardo), the noises of V8, V10 sometimes replacing the V6 Turbo hybrids, the sometimes overrated declarations of the speakers, can leave the fan hungry. 

Senna

No exclusive Netflix production here, but the documentary by Briton Asif Kapadia on the three-time F1 world champion released in 2010. Shown on a scandalously low number of screens in France in spring 2011, this work will delight fans of Ayrton Senna , but could annoy supporters ofAlain Prost, shown as “the villain” of the story from start to finish.

Without a narrative voice, the documentary plunges the viewer into the heart of the story, for maximum sensations. A perfect example which allows us to see the extent to which motorsport, behind cold technological trappings, can create great and terrible emotions.

The + = unpublished archive images, all the intensity of F1 and the total investment of Ayrton Senna transcribed, the gripping soundtrack

The – = Prost treated like a Leader pilot in Michel Vaillant, too short!

It makes coffee

Williams

This documentary, more down to earth than “Senna”, approaches the competition from a family perspective. Here, no summary of the great moments of the team founded by Frank Williams; the relationship between the father of the family and his daughter (and real boss) Claire Williams is detailed, as is the influence left by Frank Williams' late partner, Virginia, as well as the accident which left Frank Williams paraplegic on a road near Paul-Ricard in 1986.

Don't expect a frenzied dive into the British stand. The entire document takes place at the Williams home, or at the Grove factory. A script choice which allows us to take a step back from the fast-paced life usually portrayed and to go into the detail of themes without being disturbed by epileptic editing.

The + = depicts without criticizing the difficulties of the most endearing team on the set, Frank Williams talks about the turning points in his life

The – = few action scenes, risk of falling asleep in front of it if you put it at 22 p.m., feeling of embarrassment in front of Claire Williams' desire to carry the team even though since filming (2017), everything has gone well crooked

Fangio, the man who tamed racing cars 

Hot off the editing table (available since March 20 on the platform), this Argentine production looks at one of the most important legends of this sport. The cast of speakers is exceptional, with the presence of Jackie Stewart, Mika Häkkinen, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Reutemann, Nico Rosberg or Toto wolff.

However, these personalities did not race against the five-time world champion, which inevitably devalues ​​their statements. The quality of the images is obviously not 4K as many reels from the 1950s have been re-released. In order to make the film more attractive, modern sequences around the cars driven by Juan Manuel Fangio brighten up the picture.

The + = a biopic on the first great F1 champion was a must, some of his old cars came out of the garage for filming

The – = testimonials from drivers who have not known him, in this regard, we could also intervene as an F1 connoisseur…

The 24 Hour War 

You have seen the excellent film “Le Mans 66” and wish to deepen your knowledge of the duel between Ford and Ferrari during 24 Hours of Le Mans 1966? Don't go any further, this is the documentary you need! 

We remove the typical dramatization of a film, we add the accuracy of the comments made by the members of the teams present in Sarthe that year, here is the recipe for this documentary, which still clearly leans towards the American side. cause of the domination of US testimonies A slightly biased documentary therefore, but which in no way detracts from the pleasure of seeing archive images again.

The + = archive images, testimonies from all the players in the Ford adventure 

The – = apart from Mauro Forghieri and Piero Ferrari, the Scuderia lacks “big witnesses”

Why not?​

McLaren

In terms of titles, we don't crowd Netflix! Boldly, the name of this documentary announces the color (orange): the life of Bruce McLaren is therefore narrated, from his discovery of driving to his death aboard a Can-Am of his own making. 

The coolest thing about this New Zealand film remains the presence of archive images, allowing us to immerse ourselves in an era when top pilots could be entrepreneurs and jump from one weekend to another from one car to a prototypeEndurance. 

The + = biography of a figure rarely treated on television

The – = sometimes the impression of watching a documentary/TV film from the 2000s with its recreated scenes and actors

Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story

The great merit of this documentary is to shed light on a little-known story of American motorsport, and almost unknown in Europe: the first participation of an African-American in the Indianapolis 500. In a sport of the rich, it took until 1991 before the black minority was represented in one of the biggest events in the world. 

Willy T. Ribbs' victory is not on the same level as the quest for the bottle of milk promised to the winner of the Indy 500. His adventure goes beyond the confines of a circuit, it is even a political act. As proof, a member of his team had actually tried to sabotage his car for racial reasons!

The + = allows you to learn about a little-known story, an informative documentary, testimony to the state of American society in the 1980s/early 1990s

The – = risks leaving you indifferent if the culture of the United States is not your cup of tea