After Tour de France, comes out another sports documentary series from my Amazon Prime watchlist. Another mega-event based in France – the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The folks at Amazon have christened it the "Mount Everest of sports". It certainly is a different beast from conventional events – an endurance race where the winner is decided by who runs the most in a 24-hour period rather than who finishes the fastest. And uniquely it also is a driver relay race where teams of three drivers take turns driving one car over a 24-hour period.
The 6-part documentary covers the 2015 event and focuses on six teams who have started the grid – Audi, Porsche, Nissan, Toyota, Rebellion and Aston Martin. Even within these, not all cars get the full share of the limelight. While the race is showcased, the show also provides a good lesson on Le Mans – its history, why it was started, how it has evolved over the years, the ever-present dangers on the track, technical aspects of racing at different times of the day and night, design of cars, different categories going on simultaneously, presence of amateurs. In short, a good 101 for the racing buffs.
With the increasing role of electronics in the cars, drivers are now being sourced from the gaming world! While traditional drivers still dominate, Nissan was running a car which was driven by drivers who had honed their skills in virtual racing. On the other hand, the likes of Mark Webber, a multiple F1 race winner also practices on simulators. Certainly, the lines are blurring between gaming and racing. With increased digitization & better data access on the one hand and climate concerns & focus on sustainability, motor-racing might be the first sport to shift to esports from current physical model. It will certainly reduce the dangers quite a bit.
Although a bit over-dramatized at times, this was a compelling watch.
Previously on MovieNotes: Eat.Race.Win
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