MONACO — Through the past two years, Formula One’s paddock has doubled as a real-life movie set thanks to the immersive filming approach taken for Apple’s upcoming film, “F1: The Movie.”

Drivers have helped stage scenes during pre-race grid ceremonies, welcomed Brad Pitt into their briefings with the FIA, and even shared a podium with one of Hollywood’s biggest stars in Abu Dhabi last year.

But on Wednesday evening in Monaco, the 2025 F1 grid saw the finished movie a month early at a private screening ahead of this weekend’s grand prix. “F1: The Movie” will get its international release on June 25 before hitting screens in North America on June 27.

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, has been the most involved driver, working as a producer and helping to ensure the movie’s accuracy. These efforts extend to details such as correct engine note sounds, as well as acting as a valuable sounding board for producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joe Kosinski. For Hamilton, seeing the logo of Dawn Apollo, his film company, appear on screen and spotting his name as a producer in the credits gave him a special feeling of joy, even though he had already watched it about 20 times.

But this screening was different.

“All of a sudden, I’ve got all the drivers there and I was sat in the middle, (and) I was nervous,” Hamilton told reporters on Thursday. “I was like ‘Oh God, everyone is seeing it for the first time.’”

Such a select audience would provide the first opportunity to gauge just how successful the film has been at becoming the most immersive and accurate racing film of all time, as the producers intended. The drivers who live such scenes are arguably its toughest audience.

After the screening, Hamilton messaged all his peers to ask for their honest feedback. “For sure, there’s parts you’d be like, ‘Hey, the timing may be off on a strategy stop,’ or whatever it might be,” he said.

“But I think the great thing is, the sound is great. The image is incredible. It’s something that has never been done before. So, it’s something I’m really proud of.”

How realistic is the F1 movie?

“I thought some of you were there!”

Laughter echoed in Haas’ hospitality unit during Esteban Ocon’s media session in Monaco on Thursday.

The initial questions had focused on the screening, and Ocon, unaware that the present journalists had not seen the movie yet, shared a few spoilers (which won’t be repeated here). Although none with significant, ground-breaking detail.

The general feel from across the Monaco paddock is that the movie is broadly accurate. But a Hollywood-type flair, to be expected, was noted. Williams driver Carlos Sainz shared Thursday, “There were a couple of icks, but honestly, not as many as I thought. They warned us and they said, ‘Guys, we are in love with your sport, but this is Hollywood.’”

One of the biggest questions “F1: The Movie” faces is how accurately it portrays everyday life for those working in the paddock. Netflix docuseries “Drive to Survive” uses footage filmed at race weekends and from direct driver interviews, but series producer Box to Box and the streaming platform have historically faced criticism for taking creative license with the storylines in what is supposed to be a fly-on-the-wall production.

Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson described the film as “very immersive” and said “it captures the feeling of being in Formula One.” The movie includes racing battles and crashes with real-life competitors, but utilizes CGI rather than sending Pitt and co-star Damson Idris out on track in Formula Two cars against the F1 drivers. But if the drivers can tell there is an element of Hollywood touch at work, will viewers need an open mind?

“You can always find holes and poke holes in things,” Lawson said. “But I think it’s a movie, at the end of the day. It’s the same if you’re watching ‘Top Gun.’ I’m sure if you’re a fighter pilot and you’re watching a movie like that, you’re going to pick things in there that you might see differently. But I think the movie is incredible. That’s what most people are going to see when they see this.”

Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll were the only F1 drivers not to attend the private screening ahead of the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix (Bryn Lennon / Formula 1 / Getty Images)

Ocon detected Hamilton’s involvement as a producer. “Some of the parts you can really feel that Lewis has pushed it to keep it super realistic,” he said. While Ocon would’ve liked more racing and fewer crash sequences, he said, “It’s still by far the best racing movie of all time.”

“I think proper racing fans will enjoy it,” Ocon said. “They are going to comment about some of the things that maybe don’t make 100 percent sense. But honestly, for such a big movie with such an audience, it’s the closest to reality racing movie that I’ve ever seen, in comparison to all the other ones.”

Can the movie capture a new audience?

Two members of the 2025 grid have yet to watch the film, including the reigning world champion Max Verstappen. He notified F1 in advance that he would not attend the screening to spend more time at home. His partner, Kelly Piquet, gave birth to a girl, Lily, at the end of April.

“I wanted to spend more private time — because the evening is also private time, at the end of the day,” Verstappen said. He was streaming on iRacing on Wednesday evening, but claimed he’d download the film in a few weeks and watch it when it is released. “I heard good stuff from the movie,” Verstappen said. “So, I’m sure it’s going to be exciting.”

The other absentee was Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll, who only arrived in Monaco on Thursday. Asked why he didn’t make the screening, he said it was “just stuff,” but he does plan to watch the film.

While the drivers may be best-placed to judge the accuracy and merits of the film, they know they are not the direct target audience. The film’s goal, and F1’s goal, is to reach far wider, so that the “icks” that Sainz mentioned are only picked up by a small percentage of viewers — the most hardcore F1 fans.

“Nearly all of the movie, in terms of track action and things like that, it was very original and very representative,” said Fernando Alonso. “So that was a very good thing.”

Lawson felt those who hadn’t watched F1 before seeing the film would be the most impressed by the footage, which he and other drivers agree is accurate. Both Pitt and Idris trained to drive the custom-built APXGP car in real life.

Lewis Hamilton produced and consulted on the film (Bryn Lennon – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

“I can imagine somebody who’s watching the sport for the first time, watching that movie, they’re going to think it’s amazing,” Lawson said.

Current championship leader Oscar Piastri was impressed by the degree of realism. He cited a moment when the editors added the two APXGP cars to existing racing footage from real races. “The CGI in a lot of areas was very convincing,” Piastri said. “I can’t give too much away, but there are some things that if you don’t follow F1 fully, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference if it was real or not.

“I think for all the people involved in F1, they’ll be at least somewhat satisfied with the accuracy of all the little details.”

Piastri’s McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, didn’t want to comment when pressed on some of the scenes involved, respecting the need not to give away spoilers. But he acknowledged it was “a much bigger stage” for F1. “It’s a movie, it’s got movie stars in it, and I think that’s something a lot more historical than just a Netflix documentary,” Norris said. “It’s something that in 20 years your kids can still watch and it’ll still be kind of cool.”

The success of “Drive to Survive” in bringing F1 to a new, broader fanbase has transformed the sport. To have F1 portrayed on the biggest screens, with some of Hollywood’s biggest-name actors, directors and producers involved, has the potential to boost F1’s popularity — especially if it can capture that intended new audience.

“Apparently they did a survey with a lot of people that hadn’t ever watched a Formula One race, and after watching the film, they would ask, ‘would you watch a Formula One race now?’ And 100 percent of people said yes,” said Sainz. “So, that just tells you how good I think it is going to be for the sport.

“Maybe I’m completely wrong. But I think it’s going to do a lot of good.”

(Top image: Bryn Lennon / Formula 1 / Getty Images)

This coming weekend is my favourite of the racing year: Monaco in the morning (church), Indy in the afternoon, and Charlotte at night. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

Have the wheels already fallen off the all-new and improved International Hot Rod Association (IHRA)? Maryland International Raceway, the track IHRA initially claimed they intended to purchase (a claim denied by MIR), has announced the cancellation of the President’s Cup Nationals originally scheduled for August 8–9. Hmmm.

After Chris Buescher’s Ford was taken back to NASCAR’s R&D facility following the Kansas race, it was found that “the team exceeded the maximum reinforcement allowed for front bumper covers.” Really? How is that against the rules? Penalties, suspensions, and fines followed. Hopefully a full and clear explanation of this disqualification will be released. Further reports indicated the team used “too much foam” behind the front bumper!

Great news from Indy – all reserved seating at the facility has sold out. That means about 350,000 fans will be enjoying the race this Sunday! You just have to love it.

It was tough deciding whether to watch the All-Star Race or the Leafs game. Once again, the Leafs made that decision easy – as they’ve done for the past 58 years!

CASC-OR is back in action May 31 – June 1 at Shannonville Motorsport Park for its second Road Race Series event of the season, the SMP Cup.

Wasaga Beach Cruisers: They are holding their Cruise Fest on Saturday, June 21 in Klondike Park in Wasaga Beach, ON. Their weekly Monday night cruise events started May 12 at the Stonebridge Gazebo across from the Walmart parking lot. The cruise nights start between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. and run until dusk. Click HERE for more information.

NASCAR Cup – The starting lineup for the All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway had Shane van Gisbergen on the pole over Carson Hocevar (both in Chevrolets) and Noah Gragson (Ford). Eighteen cars took the green, with the top three advancing to the All-Star Race. On Lap 8, John Hunter Nemechek executed a textbook “bump and run” on Gragson, who dropped back to ninth but continued. A pre-planned competition caution came out at halfway. On the restart, Hocevar led Michael McDowell and Bubba Wallace – all of whom took two tires only. On Lap 78, McDowell appeared to bump Riley Herbst into the wall, bringing out another caution. The race ran cleanly to the finish, with Hocevar winning over Nemechek and Ty Dillon.

Brad Keselowski qualified on the pole for the All-Star Race, followed by Christopher Bell and Joey Logano. Meanwhile, NASCAR’s AI seemed to be “having a moment.” At Lap 6 of the 75-lap race, it posted: “With just two laps remaining, Christopher Bell holds the lead in the No. 20 Toyota. Bell, who started from the pole, has dominated the event, leading 67 laps and maintaining an average running – ” Huh?

The first yellow came on Lap 56 when Daniel Suarez had a flat right front tire and hit the wall. A competition caution followed on Lap 101. On Lap 112, Ross Chastain spun and made contact with Austin Cindric – the two had previously tangled. On Lap 174, Keselowski got loose in Turn 4 and hit the wall, prompting another caution. Bell went on to win over Logano and Chastain.

Next race: Charlotte, Sunday, 6:00 p.m. on TSN 5.

Barrie Automotive Flea Market: The 41st annual Spring Barrie Automotive Flea Market (BAFM) takes place June 5-8 at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds just off Highway 11 in Oro-Medonte. BAFM offers everything from collectibles and classic cars to those hard-to-find car parts. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you likely can’t find it anywhere. BAFM is a car lover’s dream! Visit www.thebafm.com or call (705) 487-3663 for info.

Xfinity Series next race: Charlotte, Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on USA and CW.

NASCAR Craftsman Trucks – Points leader Corey Heim (Toyota) won the pole at North Wilkesboro over Cup interloper Kyle Busch and Sammy Smith (both in Chevrolets). Canadian Stewart Friesen (Toyota) started sixth. All 34 entries qualified: 18 Chevs, 10 Fords, and 6 Toyotas. Things ran smoothly until Lap 47 when Tyler Tomassi stopped just off Turn 2, bringing out the caution. Giovanni Ruggiero won Stage 1.

On Lap 138, Conner Jones blew a right front tire and hit the wall exiting Turn 2. Grant Enfinger took Stage 2. On Lap 211, Tomassi again blew a right front tire and scraped the wall. On Lap 246, sixth-place Brent Crews was bumped by Ben Rhodes and spun, bringing out another caution and forcing NASCAR overtime. At the flag, it was Chandler Smith over Layne Riggs (who moved Heim on the last lap – both in Fords), with Tyler Ankrum (Chevy) third. Friesen finished 14th.

Points: Heim leads Chandler Smith by 47 and Daniel Hemric by 87.

Next race: Charlotte, Friday at 8:30 p.m. on CTV Speed.

Formula One – Oscar Piastri (McLaren) was fastest in FP1 and FP2, while teammate Lando Norris topped FP3. Piastri reclaimed the advantage and earned pole at Imola. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) started second, with George Russell (Mercedes) third. Qualifying saw Yuki Tsunoda crash his Red Bull, while Franco Colapinto spun his Alpine. Is Red Bull missing Checo? Unclear who made that call.

Verstappen made a brilliant move at the green, passing Piastri in a masterclass. That was essentially the race. On Lap 29, a virtual safety car was called for Esteban Ocon (Haas) going off track. At halfway, it was Verstappen leading Norris and a surprising Alexander Albon (Williams). On Lap 46, a full safety car was deployed when Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) stopped on course. At the flag: Verstappen over Norris and Piastri. The surprise? Hamilton, starting 12th in his Ferrari, finished a strong fourth. Stroll was 15th.

Drivers’ standings: Piastri leads Norris by 13 and Verstappen by 22. Stroll sits 10th.

Constructors’ standings: McLaren nearly doubles Mercedes, leading them by 132 and Red Bull by 148.

Next race: Monaco, Sunday at 8:55 a.m. on TSN 5.

IndyCar – Drama at Indy. After two days of qualifying and delays, the fast 12 ran Sunday afternoon. Two cars owned by the track – and series – owner Roger Penske ran afoul of tech inspection after making apparently unapproved changes. They were sent to the back of the starting field for the Indy 500. And just days before the race, Roger Penske issued a statement announcing that he’d fired team president Tim Cindric, IndyCar managing director Ron Ruzewski and IndyCar general manager Kyle Moyer. The Captain obviously wasn’t pleased to have his team caught up in another cheating scandal.

As for the Indy 500 itself, Rookie Robert Shwartzman won the pole over Takuma Sato and Pato O’Ward.

Next race: Indy 500, Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on TSN 4 & 5 and Fox.

IMSA – Next race: Detroit Street Course, Sunday, May 31.

24 Hours of Le Mans – June 14–15.

NHRA – The series visited the very cool Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois. The cars exit from under the tower, there’s a dirt track beside it, and Chicagoland Speedway just next door.

Top Fuel: Shawn Langdon won the Top Fuel Challenge with a 3.704 at 332.10 over Tony Stewart. Doug Kalitta topped qualifying with a 3.661 at 335.23. Canadian Dan Mercer qualified 10th. Stewart later won the final with a 3.777 at 329.10 over Justin Ashley. Three upsets and eight “smokers.” Points: Langdon leads Stewart by 60 and Antron Brown by 63.

Funny Car: Matt Hagan won the Challenge with a 3.880 at 331.85 over Ron Capps. Jack Beckman topped qualifying with a 3.859 at 332.75. In an all-John Force Racing final, Beckman beat Austin Prock with a 3.935. Four upsets, five smokers. Prock leads the points by 59 over Paul Lee and by 70 over Hagan.

Pro Mod: Mason Wright qualified first with a 5.676. Canadians Justin Bond was 6th; Jordan Lazic, 19th. Wright won the final over JR Gray. Points: Michael Stavrinos leads Gray by 16 and Rickie Smith by 26.

Pro Stock Bike: Gaige Herrera won the Challenge and final over Matt Smith. Top qualifier with a 6.717. Fifteen entries. Points: Smith leads Herrera by 15 and Richard Gadson by 64.

Top Fuel Motorcycle: Larry “Spiderman” McBride qualified first and won the final over a no-show Bob Mallot. Five entries. Points unchanged.

Factory Stock Showdown: Lee Hartman topped qualifying. Jason Dietsch won the final. Five upsets.

Factory X: Conner Statler led qualifying. Jesse Alexandra won the final. Points: Jonathan Allegrucci leads Pawuk by 37; Lottig leads Alexandra by 21.

PEAK Street Car Shootout: Tom Bailey was quickest and won the final. Canadian David Schroeder qualified 8th. No upsets.

Next race: New England, Sunday, June 1.

NASCAR Canada Series – Kyle Steckly nabbed the pole at CTMP ahead of Kevin Lacroix and Alex Tagliani. Tagliani quickly took the lead. Cautions on Lap 6 (Scannell) and Lap 14 (Steckley). At halfway: Malcolm Strachan led Guenette and Charbonneau. On the last lap, Marc-Antoine Camirand moved Gary Klutt off track for the win. Strachan’s third-place finish was the first podium result for longtime team owner Jim Bray! The REV TV video could use some tuning although Treyten Lapcevich did a good job joining the broadcast crew!

Next race: Chaudière, May 31.

APC Series – Due to rain, Sunset’s race was rescheduled to Sunday. Josh Stade took pole over Connor Pritiko and Dale Shaw. Kyle Steckly and Glenn Styres appeared after racing earlier in the day in the NASCAR race at CTMP. At the flag: Stade over Shaw and Shawn Chenoweth.
Next race: Flamboro, June 7.

Ontario Sportsman Series – 19 cars at Delaware Speedway for the opener. Connor James set fast time at 19.860. Spins on Laps 41, 43, and 59. Brendan Patrick passed James on Lap 67. Final: McGlynn, Patrick, James. Three of the top six cars came from the McGlynn stable.

Points unavailable. Next race: Full Throttle, May 31.

Delaware Speedway – Ontario Sportsman results above. 37 Bone Stocks: Colin Willems won the feature. V8 Stocks: Barry Watson took the feature.

Points: Bone Stocks – Jo Lawrence leads by 3. V8 Stocks – Morris and Watson tied.

Next race: L/M, S/S, Mods, King of the Hill, Friday.

Ohsweken Speedway – Huge success as the World of Outlaws returned to Canada for the first time since 2017. David Gravel swept both races. Dylan Westbrook led early on Thursday before finishing third. Stewart Friesen spun on Lap 13. Gravel leads series points.

Late Model winner: Glenn Styres… UMP vs CDN Mods winner: Greg Belyea… Next race: Brock Leonard Memorial, Friday.

UPCOMING LOCAL RACES

Brockville Ontario Speedway: This Saturday, Polite Sand & Gravel is the night’s sponsor. In action will be the Sportsman DIRTcar Northeast Series (40 Laps!), Modifieds, Novices Sportsman, Surprenant Truck Shop Crate Sprints, Mini Stocks and Vintage.

Edmonton International Raceway: Western Canada’s only NASCAR-sanctioned track kicks off its season May 31 with Fan Appreciation Night, featuring Thunder Cars, Pure Stocks, Future Stocks, IMCA and Mini Cups.

Flamboro Speedway: Steel City Rumble, Saturday

Buxton Speedway: Saturday

Full Throttle Motor Speedway: Terry Pardy Street Stock Memorial, Saturday

Sunset Speedway: L/M, HR, B/S, Saturday

Grand Bend Speedway: Season Opener, Sunday

Grand Bend Motorplex: CanAm Stock/Super Stock, May 31–June 1

St. Thomas Dragway: ONDR and Points, this weekend

Toronto Motorsports Park: No Prep, Olds, Mitsubishi, this weekend

Maritime Pro Stock Tour: This long-running stock car tour is celebrating its 25th anniversary season in 2025. The series takes the green light this Saturday at Scotia Speedworld.

Speed Promotions Racing: July 12

Can Am Stock/Super Stock: TMP, June 1

Quick 32, PBSS, 5.50 Series: June 21, Empire Dragway

660 Sportsman Nationals: October 5, Grand Bend

John Scotti NHRA Series: June 15, Luskville

Shannonville Drags: June 7–8

Comments welcome: Dave Mathers – motionman@rogers.com or via Facebook Messenger

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch has delivered an emotional statement on this week’s NASCAR Hall of Fame announcement.

The 2026 induction class was revealed on Tuesday, with Busch’s older brother Kurt being confirmed for January’s induction alongside fellow former Cup Series drivers Harry Gant and Ray Hendrick, with Humpy Wheeler the recipient of the Landmark Award.

Kurt Busch was forced into retirement from the Cup Series after a huge wreck at Pocano in 2022, at first hoping to just take a break to recover from his concussion issues but calling it quits entirely the following year.

That being said, the 46-year-old Busch was medically cleared to race again at the start of 2025, competing in the Race of Champions earlier this year ahead of some potential other returns to the track.

READ MORE: Kurt Busch headlines historic 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame class

Kyle Busch: Couldn’t be prouder for Kurt

Busch wrote: “Congratulations, Kurt!

“What an incredible achievement to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame! Your dedication, hard work, and passion for the sport have truly paid off, and being a Cup Series Champion and Daytona 500 Champion is no small feat.

“I couldn’t be prouder of you! You’ve not only made a name for yourself on the racetrack but also inspired so many with your journey. This honor is a testament to your talent and perseverance.

“Cheers to you and this amazing milestone!”

The newest Hall of Fame group will be inducted Jan. 23, 2026.

NASCAR HEADLINES: Kyle Busch reveals who blocked huge move as six penalties confirmed

Related

INDIANAPOLIS—Drivers Robert Shwartzman, Louis Foster and Nolan Siegel won’t be the only Indianapolis 500 rookies when they get the green flag May 25 to start this year’s race from the Brickyard. Fox Sports, too, is making its inaugural run at the race—only from the production point of view.

“You know, you don’t get too many opportunities in your career to be a part of something like this where the rights have been with one broadcaster for so long, and then you get to drop in and put your mark on it,” said Fox Sports Executive Vice President of Technical and Field Operations Michael Davies.

Jack Perkins, 38, has over 150 starts in Australian Supercars, winning the 2015 Gold Coast 600 Race #2 as a co-driver to James Courtney. He is a veteran of 19 Bathurst 1000s, earning a podium result there in 2019. His father, Larry Perkins, is a six-time winner of the iconic event.

The third-generation racer will now try something new, by following several of his Supercars brethren to the states to have a go at NASCAR. Perkins has secured a deal to compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Portland on August 30th, driving the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra. Shaw and Partners Financial Services will fund the effort.

He has already visited the JGR shop in Huntersville, North Carolina for a seat fitting and to take some laps in the Toyota simulator. Perkins will be a guest of the team for Memorial Day Weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

A dream come true

Winners James Courtney and Jack Perkins, Holden Racing Team

Photo by: Edge Photographics

“This is a long-held dream come true for me, and I am so excited about driving in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series for the legendary Joe Gibbs,” said Perkins in a release.
 
“I started thinking about competing in NASCAR when I first visited the U.S. in 2008 to watch Marcos Ambrose at Sonoma, and be a spotter for Paul Morris, who was contesting an ARCA West race the same weekend.

“It’s been a long journey to get here. I’ve come close a few times, but we couldn’t quite get all the ducks lined up. To do it now with Coach Gibbs and JGR proves you should never give up.”

Perkins is a good friend of James Small, a Bathurst 1000-winning engineer who currently works as a crew chief in the Cup Series with Chase Briscoe. Perkins credited Small for helping put this deal together.

It’s a trend. There has been an influx of Supercars talent wanting to try out NASCAR, especially since Shane van Gisbergen won a Cup race on debut in 2023 when he entered the Chicago Street Course race. 2023 Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki, 2024 Supercars champion Will Brown, as well as Cam Waters have all ventured over in recent years. SVG now competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series with Trackhouse, competing for Rookie of the Year honors against Riley Herbst.

Prema Racing is a team that is likely unfamiliar to US-only race fans. They arrived to the IndyCar grid ahead of the 2025 season with a two-car effort and no charters. And yet, they are now on pole position for the biggest oval race on the entire planet.

So who exactly is the team behind rookie Indy 500 polesitter Robert Shwartzman? Well, they may be new to ovals but they are no strangers to open-wheel racing.

A legendary team in junior categories 

Dennis Hauger, Prema Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Before we really get into it, let’s just put their achievements into perspective for the uninitiated: Prema has over 40 driver championships, and just as many team championships, after competing in 30+ racing divisions since 1983. Over one-fourth of the current Formula 1 grid have won titles with Prema, including Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri.

Just looking at this year’s Indy 500 starters, three of them have been crowned with Prema in the past (Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Armstrong and Shwartzman). Current Indy NXT points leader Dennis Hauger also won the 2021 F3 title with Prema, and the career paths of many other drivers have intersected with the rich history of this team. Two of the three drivers from last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans winning driver lineup have raced for Prema in the past, and Antonio Fuoco earned his first notable single-seater title with them.

For you NASCAR fans out there, it’s a bit like TRD and their driver development program, or for you IndyCar fans, they’re basically a much older version of HMD Motorsports.

So yeah, they’re everywhere. Prema is an Italian team that has been in operation since 1983, and as you can see by the overview above, they’ve made quite the name for themselves in Europe and around the world through various junior categories.

Prema first appeared in Italian F3, but it wasn’t long before they branched out into other divisions. And it was in Italian F3 where they earned their first significant triumph, winning the 1990 championship with Roberto Colciago behind the wheel.

Collecting trophies and building names

Polesitter Charles Leclerc, PREMA Racing, second place Antonio Fuoco, PREMA Racing

Photo by: FIA Formula 2

But as the world crossed into the 21st century, that’s when they truly began excelling as an organization. As the new millennium got under way, they started to pick up several regional crowns, snagging titles in both the Eurocup and Italian Formula Renault divisions.

Ryan Briscoe was one of their early champions and he currently works as a consultant for the team as they embark on their first Indy 500. Briscoe, a successful IndyCar driver who is well-known by most US racing fans, earned Prema the inaugural Formula 3 Euro Series championship in 2003.

Kamui Kobayashi, an ex-F1 driver and sports car racing legend with overall wins in both the Rolex 24 at Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans, earned his first major championship while driving for Prema.

And as Prema became more accustomed to the top step of the podium, they expanded their efforts into countless other junior divisions across Europe and even beyond. When the 2010s arrived, it became difficult to keep up with all of their successes. In the first half of the decade alone, they captured ten drivers’ titles in five different series. They won every single Formula 3 European team championship between 2013 and 2018, and as previously noted, they helped launch the careers of several future Formula 1 drivers.

Success in F2 and F3

Oliver Bearman, PREMA Racing

Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images

And yes, their success includes the direct feeder divisions for F1. They won three consecutive F3 drivers’ titles between 2019 and 2021, and each of those drivers are doing quite well for themselves, these days. There’s Piastri, who currently leads the F1 world championship, Hauger, who leads the Indy NXT standings, and Shwartzman, who just became the first rookie to earn pole position for the Indianapolis 500 in 42 years. Oh, and they’ve also won the F3 team championship in four of the last six years.

They have earned three drivers’ titles in Formula 2 as well, coming in 2017 with Leclerc, 2020 with Mick Schumacher, and 2021 with Piastri. There was even a GP2 (F2’s previous name) title with future F1 grand prix winner Pierre Gasly. Even a relatively new series like F1 Academy cannot escape Prema, which has won the team championship there in both 2023 and 2024.

Macau, Le Mans, and now IndyCar

#9 Prema Orlen Team Oreca 07 – Gibson LMP2 of Robert Kubica, Louis Deletraz, Lorenzo Colombo

Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt

Although we’re mainly focusing on championships, it’s also worth mentioning that they know how to win the Macau Grand Prix as well, which is basically the Super Bowl of junior formula racing. Their drivers won that iconic event in 2011, 2013 and 2015. While several other entrants have reached three wins, only two organizations have ever won more than that.

And while they’ve competed in at least two dozen ongoing or defunct junior single-seater divisions, they also went and formed an endurance racing division. They earned the 2022 European Le Mans Series title in LMP2, while also securing a runner-up finish in that class at the Le Mans 24 during that same year.

And in case it wasn’t clear, no, they never attempted an oval race before the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500.

This is entirely new for both Shwartzman and Prema Racing. In the first five races of the year, they had no starts higher than 16th, and no finishes higher than 18th when looking at both Shwartzman and his teammate Callum Ilott.

This Indy 500 pole feels like it came out of nowhere, and while it kind of did, we’re not dealing with true rookies here. It also helps when you have Eric Leichtle, a SpaceX engineer with previous experience at Team Penske, working with your organization.

While still quite the upset, Prema has been in this racing business for a long time, and they certainly know how to show up unannounced in a new series and immediately shake up the status quo.