Courtesy of designer mullets, flannel shirts, Winny Blues and black-tooth grins, motorsport in Australia has long been considered a bogan’s realm.
But Formula One ain’t no scrub. It’s the original playboy’s sport. An adrenalin-fuelled pursuit built on speed, innovation, technology, luxury, Bill Gates-type cash and above all else attitude. It’s the Rolex to the rest of motorsports’ Casio. The Chanel to their Mambo. The Ferrari to their Falcon – quite literally. So, we saw it fitting to enlighten you somewhat about the aspirational lifestyle that is the Formula One.
Silverstone Raceway aka The Graveyard
Though its history can be traced back as far as the 1930s, it wasn’t until 1950 that the first official championships race took place at Silverstone, UK. And it’s been the scene of many a carnage last-gasp wins over the years. Our own Mark Webber notched a couple there for Red Bull.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp4cHAe6IYc
But back then, safety was about as big a consideration as condoms or not having a mistress, with 13 drivers killed by 1960. A fair few spectators, too. And it was about then, post-World War II, that massive advances in nuclear weapons technology and space research allowed Formula 1 cars to become more than just race cars. A Formula 1 car quickly became a symbol of futuristic technology, sex, luxury and money. The drivers were literally using the technology to make love and not war.
Sex, Money, Power
Enter Jackie Stewart, Formula 1 racing’s first international sex symbol and playboy who was embodied in Robbie Williams’ 2000 music video, Supreme. He called Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney friends among many others.
With sponsors flying in despite more deaths and orgies that make YouPorn look pedestrian, Formula 1 became the first sport to feature advertising on their cars. And with that came a commercial boom, cigarette and liquor companies throwing cash and product at teams and drivers alike. All the ingredients for mayhem and fortune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzNbGH1oZJc
And no driver loved a dart and a shot of scotchy, scotch, scotch more than 1970s cult figure James Hunt. The brother was so hot, getting so much strange that men wanted to be him and be with him. Hell, he was portrayed by Chris Hemsworth in the 2013 Ron Howard film Rush. That’s gotta tell you something. His British charm, boyish good looks and cheek had married women, mothers and daughters alike throwing themselves at him. And rumour has it he contested more than his fair share of races under the influence. His battles with Niki Lauder are thing of legend.
Family Influence
The ‘70s were also the time one Bernie Ecclestone got involved as a team owner, and by the turn of the 1980s he’d helped transform the sport into a worldwide money-printing phenomenon. Pocketed a fair bit of lucre for himself and his wives, too. He sold TV rights and the right to host races to state governments like South Australia, where the Australian F1 Grand Prix was held in 1985. And he’s responsible for some pretty hot daughters, too – Tamara and Petra.
Girls
Then came drivers like Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Michael Schumacher and with them, deadly quick cars, frighteningly hot women and exorbitant pay checks and parties on a Hollywood scale.
To this day, Formula One remains the richest and most affluent sport on the planet, with celebrities and rich dudes alike scrambling to get invites to their six-star functions, races and legendary parties held in the world’s most glamorous locations – Monaco, Italy, Melbourne. This list goes on. They’re the fastest cars on the planet, at the forefront of technology on all platforms and let us not forget the grid girls. Oh yeah, F1 is largely responsible for them too.
Get Patriotic
Add the likes of Red Bull and an Aussie legend by the name of Daniel Ricciardo to the mix, and there’s more reason than ever for Aussies to get involved with the Melbourne GP and the biggest party of the year.
