JA on F1: Immortalising Ferrari’s Great Leader

This week, James Allen extends a warm welcome to Manish Pandey, the accomplished filmmaker and compelling narrator who initially garnered recognition through his work on the celebrated 2010 documentary, Senna. This project was a collaboration with Asif Kapadia and James Gay Rees, known for their involvement in Drive to Survive. Since his initial success, Manish has continued his work, gaining unique access to Bernie Ecclestone, a prominent figure in F1, to recount his personal experiences in the streaming series titled Lucky.

Now, he presents a new cinematic creation, Seeing Red, which explores the life of Luca Di Montezemolo, another significant individual within the world of F1.

Di Montezemolo achieved victory in the 1975 F1 World Championships at the young age of 28, serving as the Ferrari team manager alongside Niki Lauda. He later returned in the 1990s to spearhead Ferrari’s revival, assembling the renowned ‘Dream Team’ consisting of Jean Todt, Ross Brawn, and Rory Byrne, who collectively dominated F1 with Michael Schumacher. Simultaneously, he revitalized the allure of Ferrari’s collection of road vehicles.

Manish explores his motivations as a filmmaker in portraying the narratives of Senna, Ecclestone, and Di Montezemolo, examining their shared characteristics and the connections between their stories. He uncovers the discussions between Di Montezemolo and Senna in 1994 regarding the potential of the distinguished Brazilian driver joining Ferrari, and he considers the present state of Ferrari, questioning the importance of a leader who possesses a genuine passion for F1.

Seeing Red is being shown in select movie theaters through Everyman Cinemas in the UK and will soon be accessible on popular streaming platforms.

Share your thoughts or questions with: @jamesallenonf1 on X or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com.

Producer: Ben Holmes

Executive Producer: Jason Swales

A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport 

 

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