James Allen On F1

• 46: What makes a great racing movie and which one is the best?

  In Part Two of our Summer Special featuring a panel of movie industry experts, we analyse the most cherished racing movies; the classic Grand Prix (1966) as well as other celebrated motorsport films Rush (2013), Days of Thunder (1990) and Le Mans (1971). Are they any good as movies and what does it take to create a film that appeals to all audiences, not just motorsport enthusiasts? And what, if anything, did this summer’s Apple blockbuster F1 Movie with Brad Pitt take from them? We explore how well the various stories and plotlines work and the all-important action sequences. We reveal which cues they take from each other.  How are female characters depicted and how does their treatment compare across the decades? Which films were commercially successful and which ones flopped? Finally, if the master rolls of all these films were in a burning warehouse and only one could be saved for posterity, which one would the experts rescue?  The answer may surprise you.  With James Allen in the studio are:  Eddie Hamilton, editor of Top Gun Maverick and the two most recent Mission Impossible films. Adrian Wootton OBE, runs the British Film Commission (encouraging productions like F1 to film in the UK).  Mark Lane is an award-winning movie producer, with over 40 credits including I am not a serial Killer and The Cut.  Nick Manzi is a producer with a string of hits from Blitz to Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and a lifelong F1 enthusiast.  Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X or [email protected].

  --------  

  44:31

  --------

  44:31
• 45: What happens when film industry experts break down the F1 Movie?

  This week we gather a stellar line-up of movie industry insiders as we break down the summer blockbuster F1 Movie, which has now earned over half a billion dollars at the box office, so deserves some deeper consideration. Having earlier looked at it from the point of view of journalists and fans, we now get the movie experts to cast an eye over it; is it technically a good film? How well does the story work, and what about the all-important action sequences? How does the treatment of female characters compare? And do movies like this do any long-term good for the sport? In Part II next week, the panel will compare it with the 1960s classic Grand Prix as well as other classic motorsport films Rush, Days of Thunder and Le Mans. Are they any good as movies? And what does it take to create a movie that appeals to all audiences, not just motorsport enthusiasts? With James Allen in the studio are:  Eddie Hamilton, editor of Top Gun Maverick and the two most recent Mission Impossible films. Adrian Wootton OBE, runs the British Film Commission (encouraging productions like F1 to film in the UK).  Mark Lane is an award-winning movie producer, with over 40 credits including I am not a serial Killer and The Cut.  Nick Manzi is a producer with a string of hits from Blitz to Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and a lifelong F1 enthusiast.  Chapters 00:00 Introduction to F1 Movie Discussion 03:00 Audience Reception and Expectations 05:58 The Art of Filmmaking in F1 Movies 08:59 Motorsport as a Cinematic Backdrop 11:55 Elements of a Successful Film 14:51 Character Dynamics and Storytelling 18:08 Technical Achievements and Authenticity 20:46 The Role of Female Characters 23:59 Budget and Financial Aspects of F1 Movie 26:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X or [email protected]. A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport

  --------  

  45:01

  --------

  45:01
• 44: Why is Lewis Hamilton writing documents for Ferrari?

  F1 people are enjoying their summer break as the three-week Shutdown enters its second week.  But one man who has not shut down is our F1 Writer Ronald Vording, who joins James Allen from the Netherlands to take stock of the season and look ahead to what we can expect when the racing starts again later this month.  Max Verstappen confirmed before the break that he’s not looking to move teams for 2026 and he will race for Red Bull next season. What went on behind the scenes in his decision-making process? What is Max’s state of mind now with 10 rounds to go and no chance of winning the title? We answer some listener questions and talking points on how McLaren shows no favouritism towards its drivers as they duel for the World Championship.  Where is Lewis Hamilton now on the Motivation-ometer and why is he writing “documents” for Ferrari?  Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X or [email protected].

  --------  

  45:24

  --------

  45:24
• 43: F1 driver contracts: Why exit clauses are more important than money

  This week as F1 starts its Summer Shutdown we look in detail at how F1 driver contracts work and why this period of the season is critical for options being triggered (or not), renewals being signed and decisions being taken by drivers and teams about next season. To help James Allen go deep into F1 driver contracts is one of the best known and most successful driver managers in F1 history. Julian Jakobi has managed dozens of great names like Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Jacques Villeneuve, Juan Pablo Montoya and more recently Checo Perez. He continues to manage a stable of drivers across multiple race series. What does a driver manager do? What is in the scope of the role? What kinds of considerations do teams have around drivers during the Summer Shutdown?  And what was it like to manage Senna and Prost at the same time, while they were in open conflict? Chapters 00:00 The Role of a Driver Manager 08:45 Understanding Driver Contracts and Options 12:05 The Impact of Rookies in F1 14:47 Key Clauses in Driver Contracts 18:14 The Influence of Team Management on Drivers 21:39 Future Driver Moves and Team Strategies

  --------  

  26:30

  --------

  26:30
• 42: Is It True F1 Drivers Are Among The Fittest Athletes In Sport?

  This week we look ahead to the F1 summer shutdown, which starts after the chequered flag falls in Hungary until Zandvoort at the end of August. But rather than use it as an excuse for tired old repeats, we are embracing the shutdown and looking at its significance to F1. This week we look at what the F1 drivers need to do during the break; how they recover after 14 gruelling races in five months, how they stay in shape while recharging. We also explore more broadly the physical and mental challenges on F1 drivers today. Is it true that F1 drivers are among the fittest athletes in sport? Taking James Allen deep into this fascinating topic is Nick Harris, who has trained and mentored many great drivers in the past 20 years from Mark Webber, David Coulthard and Jenson Button to Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg. He has also worked with top performers from other sports, like Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova. To view the highlights of the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey and to download the Whitepaper, go to https://fansurvey2025-formula1.motorsportnetwork.com/ Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X or [email protected]. Producer: Dre Harrison A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport

  --------  

  37:02

  --------

  37:02

More Sports podcasts

Trending Sports podcasts

About James Allen On F1