There's something about the way speed looks on film. We just feel the car shaking, and our living rooms vibrate as gas pedals are pushed to the floor.

Movies about racing have gasoline in their blood. They fire on all cylinders and can propel audiences, characters, and our ideas of cinema forward.

Today, I wanted to rank my favorite of these movies and talk about what each of them means to me.

Let's dive in.

1. Grand Prix (1966)

  • Director: John Frankenheimer
  • Writer: Robert Alan Aurthur
  • Cast: James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, Toshiro Mifune

One of those movies that was made before CGI, so you know the speed and the crashes are real, so you grip the sides of the couch like you're the one doing 190.

A cinematic epic that set the standard for racing films, Grand Prix utilized groundbreaking camera techniques, including mounting cameras directly onto cars, to capture the visceral experience of Formula One.

Director John Frankenheimer's masterpiece offers a stunning visual spectacle with real-life racing footage and a compelling storyline that delves into the dangerous lives and complex rivalries of its drivers.

2. Le Mans (1971)

  • Director: Lee H. Katzin
  • Writer: Harry Kleiner
  • Cast: Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch, Elga Andersen
Starring the effortlessly cool Steve McQueen, the guy did his own driving in this movie. They use the real race and build a story inside it. Le Mans is a quasi-documentary style film that immerses the viewer in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. We're right in the mix with McQueen. While light on dialogue and plot, the film is celebrated for its authenticity and breathtaking racing sequences, making it a pure, unadulterated love letter to motorsport.

3. Rush (2013)

  • Director: Ron Howard
  • Writer: Peter Morgan
  • Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara

I think this movie got massively underrated. If it came out today, it would be as big as F1.

Ron Howard's biographical drama masterfully captures the intense rivalry between the charismatic English driver James Hunt and the methodical Austrian Niki Lauda during the dramatic 1976 Formula One season. Featuring stellar performances from Hemsworth and Brühl, Rush is a character-driven spectacle with exhilarating and meticulously recreated race scenes.

4. Ford v Ferrari (2019)

  • Director: James Mangold
  • Writers: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, Jason Keller
  • Cast: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe
An all-timer for me. I just love the music and the sound of the engine and the actors hamming it up. It's a movie you can watch with your Dad and feel his energy. This critically acclaimed film tells the true story of American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and maverick driver Ken Miles (Bale) as they build a revolutionary race car for Ford. Their mission: to challenge the dominance of Enzo Ferrari's racing team at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. It's a powerful tale of innovation, corporate interference, and sheer determination.

5. Senna (2010)

  • Director: Asif Kapadia
  • Writer: Manish Pandey
  • Cast: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Ron Dennis (archival footage)
A powerful and moving documentary, maybe one of the best ever made. Senna chronicles the life, career, and tragic death of Brazilian Formula One champion Ayrton Senna. Using archival race footage and intimate home videos, the film provides a compelling portrait of a brilliant, complex, and deeply spiritual driver, solidifying his legendary status far beyond the world of motorsport.

6. Days of Thunder (1990)

  • Director: Tony Scott
  • Writer: Robert Towne
  • Cast: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid
A quintessential 90s blockbuster, with Tony Scott's style and editing and shooting, Days of Thunder brought the high-banked world of NASCAR to the mainstream. The movie stars Tom Cruise as Cole Trickle, a hotshot rookie driver. It's a high-energy spectacle of speed, rivalries, and ambition, set against the backdrop of American stock car racing.

7. The Fast and the Furious (2001)

  • Director: Rob Cohen
  • Writers: Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist, David Ayer
  • Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster
The film that launched a global, multi-billion dollar franchise, people forget that the original The Fast and the Furious introduced audiences to the underground world of street racing, tuner cars, and family in Los Angeles. While the series has evolved into a spy-fi saga, the first installment remains a memorable and influential entry in the genre for its authentic focus on car culture.

8. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

  • Director: Adam McKay
  • Writers: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay
  • Cast: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole
"If you ain't first, you're last." This hilarious and endlessly quotable comedy offers a satirical yet affectionate take on the world of NASCAR. Will Ferrell's portrayal of the clueless but confident driver Ricky Bobby has become iconic, making this film a memorable and rewatchable classic that finds humor in the intensity of racing culture.

9. Cars (2006)

  • Director: John Lasseter
  • Writers: Dan Fogelman, John Lasseter, Joe Ranft, Kiel Murray, Phil Lorin, Jorgen Klubien
  • Cast: Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy
Pixar's animated love letter to car culture and Americana tells the heartwarming story of Lightning McQueen, a hotshot race car who learns the importance of friendship and humility in the forgotten town of Radiator Springs. With its charming characters and beautifully animated racing sequences, the film has become a beloved classic for audiences of all ages.

10. Bullitt (1968)

  • Director: Peter Yates
  • Writers: Alan R. Trustman, Harry Kleiner
  • Cast: Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Vaughn, Don Gordon
Look, this is a cop movie that people watch for the scene where everyone drives fast. While not exclusively a racing film, Bullitt is revered for featuring one of the most iconic and influential car chases in cinematic history. Steve McQueen, as the cool detective Frank Bullitt, pilots a 1968 Ford Mustang GT through the streets of San Francisco in a groundbreaking sequence that set a new standard for realism and intensity in automotive action, making it an unforgettable piece of car movie lore.

Summing It All Up 

Driving fast is really fun. I mean, do it safely, but if you've gone fast in a car, you know that's another side of living.

And if you haven't and are too scared, I think watching these movies will open you up to what it feels like and how special it is to speed.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

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