10 Formula 1 movies and documentaries to get you hyped for Apple’s ‘F1’

Told entirely through archive footage, Senna follows Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna’s meteoric rise in F1 during the 1980s and early 1990s. It documents his intense rivalry with Alain Prost, his religious fervour, and his uneasy relationship with the sport’s politics. What makes it extraordinary is its refusal to editorialise: the footage—interviews, pit lane chats, on-board camera shots—speaks for itself. The film builds toward the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, when Senna’s death stunned the world. Even those who know how it ends may find it difficult to breathe during the final 20 minutes.

Set during the summer of 1957, Ferrari explores a crisis point in Enzo Ferrari’s (Adam Driver) life and career. His company is facing financial collapse, his marriage to Laura Ferrari (Penélope Cruz) is fraying and he’s still mourning the death of their son. Against this backdrop, he gambles everything on the Mille Miglia, a dangerous open-road endurance race. Unlike the adrenaline-fuelled spectacle of most racing films, this is a slower, moodier portrait of ambition and obsession. It shows Ferrari less as an icon and more as a man under siege—prideful, haunted and utterly consumed by the sport.

An ambitious epic shot during the actual 1966 F1 season, Grand Prix follows four fictional drivers navigating fame, risk and politics across Europe’s most iconic tracks. American driver Pete Aron (James Garner) serves as the audience’s anchor in a film that blends fictional narratives with real race footage. What stands out is the visual innovation: helmet-mounted cameras, split screens and long sequences filmed during actual Grand Prix weekends. Though the character arcs now feel dated, the film remains a fascinating time capsule from an era when F1 drivers were celebrities and casualties in equal measure.

Set in the 1960s, the film chronicles how Ford sought to dethrone Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) are tasked with building a car fast enough to compete with the Italians. Though not strictly about F1, the themes—engineering brilliance, racing strategy, driver temperament—will resonate with fans. The driving sequences are masterfully shot, but the film’s core is the human cost of perfectionism. Miles, in particular, is portrayed not just as a daredevil but as someone who understands what it means to chase impossible standards.

This docuseries has arguably done more for F1’s global profile than any single race. Produced by Netflix and now in its sixth season, it offers behind-the-scenes access to teams, drivers and managers. While some storylines are exaggerated for dramatic effect, the series captures the pressure cooker of modern F1—where sponsors dictate strategy, and one bad weekend can end a career. Personalities like Toto Wolff, Christian Horner, Daniel Ricciardo and Guenther Steiner have become cult figures in their own right. If nothing else, Drive to Survive proves that the real drama isn’t always on the track.

This documentary charts Michael Schumacher’s ascent from a modest upbringing in Germany to becoming a seven-time world champion. It uses a mix of home videos, interviews with his family and colleagues and race footage to paint a more private portrait of one of F1’s most dominant figures. While it avoids deep criticism or speculation about his skiing accident and current condition, it offers enough insight to show how Schumacher’s discipline and competitive edge reshaped what it meant to be a modern F1 driver. The tone is respectful but not overly reverent.

This documentary tells the story of Sir Frank Williams, founder of one of F1’s most storied teams. It explores how his relentless ambition and single-minded focus built a motorsport powerhouse, but also led to personal costs, particularly in his relationship with his wife, Virginia “Ginny” Williams. The film traces the team’s rise through the 1980s and ’90s, its engineering milestones and the 1986 car crash that left Frank Williams paralysed. It’s more introspective than thrilling, but for those interested in the people behind the machines, Williams is essential viewing.

This documentary, narrated by Michael Fassbender, addresses what many films gloss over: how dangerous F1 used to be. In the ’60s and ’70s, it was not uncommon for multiple drivers to die in a single season. The film weaves interviews with drivers like Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda and Damon Hill with archival footage that’s both thrilling and harrowing. It examines how the sport eventually embraced safety, largely due to driver advocacy and public outcry. While not as emotionally charged as Senna, it adds valuable context to the evolution of F1 as a sport and business.

A multi-part series focused on Bernie Ecclestone, the controversial businessman who transformed F1 from a chaotic, gentleman’s pursuit into a billion-dollar global franchise. The series doesn’t shy away from his more divisive decisions or blunt persona. It shows how control, negotiation and sheer force of will allowed him to centralise F1’s commercial rights and build its media empire. For anyone curious about how F1 became a polished, profitable spectacle, Lucky! offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the empire’s architect.

F1 has never been just about who crosses the finish line first. These films and series highlight what the podium misses—flawed icons, fierce ambitions and everything at stake when you drive at 300 kilometres per hour. Whether you’re in it for the history or the psychology, this list is the perfect primer on what makes F1 more than a sport.

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