It’s Lights Out and Away We Go…
Now, we’ve all heard this phrase kicking off Formula 1 races, and especially after Netflix’s Drive to Survive the sport’s popularity has shot up. And come 2021, the social channels of F1 amassed popularity owing to the season’s controversial end. Say what you will, it is extremely entertaining to watch the cars whoosh past each other for the ‘grand prize’, aka ‘Grand Prix’. So, let us deep dive into this crazy sport, that is Formula 1 with some cool facts.
- That’s a Fast Family
Formula 1’s first world champion (1950) – Giuseppe “Nino” Farina, was the nephew of the legendary Italian car designer Battista Farina, the founder of Pininfarina.
- The Triple Crown
Like football has treble, the ‘Triple Crown’ in motor racing is achieved by winning three of the most prestigious motor races in the world, which are; the Indianapolis 500 (aka Indy 500), the 24 hours of Le Mans, and the Monaco Grand Prix. Graham Hill is the only driver in the history of motorsport to have achieved this feat.
- ‘Sir’ Lewis Hamilton
Sir Lewis Hamilton’s tattoo – ‘Still I Rise’, was inspired from a Maya Angelou poem about the struggles of liberation and survival as African American experience in the United States, and her success despite all these struggles. And still rise, he does!
- Red Bull Mode 11
The Red Bull Racing team have a “Mode 11”, that unlocks the full power of the engine, and this is a hat-tip to the 1984 movie ‘This Is Spinal Tap’, where the guitar amplifier volume knobs go up to eleven. No wonder they’re such a successful team.
- Kimi Raikkonen
One of F1’s most beloved drivers – the ‘Iceman’ Kimi Raikkonen has his own national emoji in Finland. Retiring this year, he truly marks the end of ‘Ice Age’ in F1.
- Tifosi
From cold to hot – Ferrari’s fan army aka the ‘Tifosi’, literally means those infected by typhus disease, a reference to someone acting in a fevered manner.
That is the chequered flag for this blog. Liked it? Let us know! And, while we wait for the 2022 season to begin in March, why don’t you race down to KarmaPlay for more? 😉
See you soon 😊
XOXO
