E MANS (1971)
Ever since the 24 Hours of Le Mans started in 1923, racers and fans alike have flocked to the event despite its gruelling demands. But it’s the mental and physical strain that it puts on the racers who compete in it that is the most fundamental part of this, one of the greatest road races of all times. And it’s precisely this that Le Mans captures so beautifully. The film largely features footage from the 1970 edition of the race, when Steve McQueen raced the Porsche 917, and also features a fictional plot that follows the trials and tribulations of his character Michael Delaney. It deals with the fierce competition between the Porsche and Ferrari teams, Delaney’s struggle to cope with the death of fellow drivers and his insatiable need to win at Le Mans. Plot aside, it’s worth watching this one just for the actual racing footage.
That unforgettable scene: When Michael Delaney delivers that all important dialogue. “A lot of people go through life doing things badly. Racing’s important to men who do it well. When you’re racing, it... it’s life. Anything that happens before or after... is just waiting.”
SENNA (2010)
Whether you’re an Ayrton Senna fan or not, this Formula 1 film will give you goosebumps. You see, it’s very obvious when watching the movie that it’s a tribute film made by one of Ayrton Senna’s biggest fans - something that writer Manish Pandey unabashedly admits. Where this film excels, though, is in the footage that has been painstakingly gathered from the FIA and from the Senna family as well, to give viewers a glimpse into that magnificent era of Formula 1. Of course, at the centre of the film lies Senna’s rivalry with Alain Prost, the wily Frenchman who was his arch nemesis. And if there’s one thing we feel the film didn’t do justice to, it’s Prost. There’s a little too much hero and villain, a little too much black and white in a rivalry that was almost all grey. Nonetheless, it’s a film that you must not miss surely for the F1 footage you’re unlikely to have seen before.
That unforgettable scene: The grainy footage of Ayrton Senna overtaking Niki Lauda at the rain-soaked 1984 Monaco Grand Prix. It’s the scene that defines Ayrton Senna’s arrival in Formula 1.
FASTER (2003)
The period between 2000 and 2001 was a time of flux for MotoGP. The two stroke machines were being put to rest in favour of four-stroke beasts that would scorch racetracks henceforth. Amidst all of this, there was pressure of competition in Grand Prix motorcycle racing’s elite class. Legendary battles were being waged on track - Valentino Rossi vs Max Biaggi, an intense rivalry to say the least. And with behind the scenes footage from each one of 16 races of the season, Faster takes you on a MotoGP journey you ordinarily wouldn’t see. But it’s not this that makes the film special. It’s the footage of Kenny Roberts and Barry Sheene as they discuss their styles of riding, footage of Wayne Rainey talking about how as a racer you always know you can fall off the motorcycle and injure yourself, Kevin Schwantz declaring that 99 per cent of MotoGP happened between a riders ears - it’s enough to make a MotoGP fan out of anyone at all! You can follow this up by watching Faster & Faster; The Doctor, The Tornado and The Kentucky Kid; Fastest and the yet to be released Charge.
That unforgettable scene: Wayne Rainey talking about his career ending crash at Misano in such a matter of fact way, making it seem like it was just another day at the office.
TT3D: CLOSER TO THE EDGE (2011)
If you’re not convinced that the TT is one of the most extreme sporting events in the world, this documentary just might do the trick. Shot in 3D, Closer to the edge follows the days leading up to the 2010 TT, tracking the preparation of several racers like Guy Martin, Ian Hutchinson, Connor Cummins and John McGuinness. Like the TT itself, the movie is not without darkness and features Bridget Dobbs, whose husband racer Paul Dobbs dies during the 2010 edition of the race. It’s the fact that despite all the casualties people still go back to the island due to an overwhelming passion for the TT, that is the film’s most enduring message.
That unforgettable scene: Joey Dunlop succinctly summing up why it is that the riders return to the TT every single year when he says ‘It’s not about beating the next guy. It’s about beating the track.’
RACE TO DAKAR (2006)
Okay, we’ve cheated a little and added Race to Dakar to this list and it’s not a film at all, instead it’s a seven part documentary that follows Charley Boorman’s quest to take part in the gruelling Dakar Rally. From the days when he trains non-stop for the event, a whole year in advance, to the stage where his BMW F650RR motorcycle is prepared for the race and him and Simon Pavey ship out to the sandy dunes of the Sahara desert, the series captures every step of the journey in great detail. Once Boorman is actually at the race itself, the footage not only follows his journey, but that of his backup crew and the other drivers and riders involved in the event. It’s a warts-and-all film of the greatest, possibly most gruelling race in the world. How does Boorman do?
Well, watch the film!
That unforgettable scene: As a rider attempts to pick his motorcycle up from the sand dunes, a massive Dakar vehicle comes over the dunes and rams right into him - a scary scene that depicts exactly what the race is about.
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