Another year of Formula 1 is about to begin. Well, technically it began early this year because of Ramadan, so Free Practices 1 and 2 are already over. Each year, F1 makes a new intro video, which is shown at the start of each televised viewing. This year’s intro sucks.
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Sometimes it’s hard to sit down to write and explain what is going on with me. There are always several different stories bouncing around in my head, so I’m never short of ideas. What I lack is providing a good description of things to people who have no experience in the realms I have been in.
Formula 1 withdrawal
Formula 1 is on a bit of a hiatus for the month of April. There was supposed to be a race the weekend of the 15th, but that was going to be the Chinese Grand Prix, which has been canceled for a third year in a row.
Note: For some reason, the video works for some folks, but not others. Here is the direct link to the video on YouTube.
Today was World Mental Health Day. I spent it by taking the day off and doing things for my own mental health. This included watching some videos and a little bit of writing, but mostly just thinking and reflecting on life and how to get a better balance on the many things that intersect with my mind and my personal life from day-to-day.
The video above would have never been made 20 years ago. In that sense, the world has come a long way in being open about mental health. The drivers have some good things to say as well. We still have so much farther to go, but this is a good first step.
F1 Ukrainian flag collage, framed.
One thing my grandma taught me was to never stop learning. It’s sound advice I have always remembered.
My cap collection – Preston North End (football/soccer), two Antonio Giovinazzi caps (Alfa Romeo F1), a McLaren Cap (F1), and a Lando Norris (McLaren F1) winter hat.
Long-term readers know the only television I watch is Formula One racing. Before I knew I had PTSD, it helped me through some rough times and continues to do so today. I don’t know the latest popular television shows, bands, or movies, but I can describe to you in detail how Carlos Sainz’s car caught fire last weekend. Over the past two years, F1 has become more popular around the world, due in part by owners Liberty Media and the Netflix series Drive to Survive. One of the problems with any sport growing in popularity is the unsavory elements seeping in, creating problems most people condemn, but do little to change.
Formula One’s Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton has a unique streak going on right now. Every race in which he has worn an LGBTQ+ helmet, he has finished on the podium.
As a teen in the 1980s, I heard words like “fag, queer, twink,” and worse from my peers. At home, my grandmother quietly instilled the virtues and values of respect, fairness, and equality. She was well-known for living the idea of not judging people until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. Those life lessons have been on my mind this week as the president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the governing body for Formula 1, has made some incredibly disparaging remarks toward Formula 1 drivers, and awareness to issues such as mental health, human rights, and the LGBT community.
Formula 1 is the only sport I follow. While it is not perfect, the sport has made great strides in the past few years to address a number of issues, including inequality, around the world. Not only are its stars involved, the greater community is as well.
I came across this picture today of former Formula 1 drivers Martin Brundle and Ayrton Senna. Today is Brundle’s 63rd birthday. The first thing I noticed was the hand movement, which F1 drivers seem to make. It reminded me of the famous, and similar, conversation between Mika Häkkinen and Michael Schumacher. Then, I noticed the watch and said, “Hey. I used to have that watch.”