It feels like F1 is everywhere these days. That's probably thanks to the popularity of the sport worldwide and thanks to Netflix's docuseries, Drive to Survive, which has brought a ton of new fans to the sport.

But F1 is not some new sport, and it's been the fascination of people in Hollywood for a long time. In the next few months, we're even going to get a huge Brad Pitt movie called F1, which was filmed in IMAX and could be a hit for the summer.

Today, I wanted to go over some other racing movies you need to see. They won't all be strictly F1 movies, but they have crossover and are really wonderful watches.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

1. Senna

  • Director: Asif Kapadia
  • Writer: Manish Pandey
  • Cast: Featuring archival footage of Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and others.

I think this is one of the best documentaries ever made. It follows legendary driver Ayrton Senna and his pursuit of speed and greatness.

2. Le Mans

  • Director: Lee H. Katzin
  • Writer: Harry Kleiner
  • Cast: Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen driving the 24 hours of Le Mans for a movie is a feat that I don't think we talk about enough. Sure, there's a story in this movie, but when you turn it on, you just get sucked into this world and never want to slow down.

3. Ford vs. Ferrari

  • Director: James Mangold
  • Writers: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, Jason Hall
  • Cast: Matt Damon (Carroll Shelby), Christian Bale (Ken Miles)

While not strictly F1, this is a racing movie that I think really brought speed back to the big screen. It's a heartfelt look at how these achievements affect us, but are also wrapped up in corporate greed.

4. Rush

  • Director: Ron Howard
  • Writer: Peter Morgan
  • Cast: Chris Hemsworth (James Hunt), Daniel Brühl (Niki Lauda), Olivia Wilde (Suzy Miller).

This Ron Howard movie felt like it flew under the radar. It's the story of two dueling drivers pushing each other to the limits -- that's the essence of the sport and it really translated to the big screen.

5. Grand Prix

  • Director: John Frankenheimer
  • Writer: Robert Alan Aurthur
  • Cast: James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand
Nobody shoots car chases like Frankenheimer. And in a sport of chasing people around a track, he knew how to take the cinematography to its limits.

6. Schumacher

  • Directors: Hanns-Bruno Kammertöns, Vanessa Nöcker, Michael Wech
  • Writers: Hanns-Bruno Kammertöns, Vanessa Nöcker, Michael Wech
  • Cast: Featuring interviews with Michael Schumacher, his family, and colleagues.

A documentary that goes into the life and career of the seven-time world champion and maybe the greatest driver ever.

7. 1

  • Director: Paul Crowder
  • Writer: Mark Monroe
  • Cast: Featuring interviews with numerous F1 drivers and personalities.
The dangerous era of Formula One in the 1960s and 1970s was wild. People were risking their lives, and losing them to see who could go the fastest around the track. This doc keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Summing Up 11 Iconic F1 Movies

These racing movies are all very fun, and some are even very emotional. They capture humanity's need for speed and the pursuit of excellence.

They are my favorite movies in this world, but I bet you know a few I have never seen.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

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