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Today was one of those days where things come together. Due to work commitments I could not drive the Hulk on the GP Strecke of the Nurburgring today, but my mate Lex scored a 1:43 on the short track and took two P1’s overall. In those same races Gerd Rijper drove to a second place in his 74 RSR in the second race. Gerd owns the 1973 RSR prototype (see below in present paint scheme) that reached Niki Lauda as the first emergency vehicle after his infamous 1 August 1976 crash at the Nurburgring. It actually shows up, or at least an imitation of it, for about two seconds, in the movie I have just returned from.

I’m no expert on film making, but when the fundamental story is good the movie will at least wear some of that. And it does. Both Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl, who play Hunt and Lauda respectively, are fully in character and are convincing enough to let us all taste the fierce rivalry, grounded in mutual respect, between these two highly talented racers. Their diametrically opposed characters provide great ingredients for some entertaining quips and philosophy.

I’m a seventies teenager and it just all felt right. The mood is right, the props are great, the typecasting fits, eye-candy and all, and the movie places the racing in this time-period rather than the other way around. There is terrific racing action, without boring non-racers to death and there is plenty of interesting dialogue, humour and tension to stay engaged.

Historic racers will enjoy engaging racing scenes which hark back to the actual races of 1976, most of which I had forgotten, except the horrific Lauda crash. I do remember my amazement at the time to see Lauda behind the wheel so soon after his accident, testimony to the man’s unmitigated determination to succeed.

Go see this entertaining movie about a perfectionist engineering nerd and his playboy snooty, but ever so charming adversary. You’ll like the story.