The FIA is releasing a film on Thursday evening about the youth of the drivers

In a trailer of just over a minute, the floor is given to Valtteri Bottas, Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz, Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel, Sergio Perez, and Guanyu Zhou.

The first time I got in a go-kart, I knew I wanted to be a Formula 1 driver. (Valtteri Bottas)

When I was young, I had a lot of trouble believing in myself. (Charles Leclerc)

On your journey, you will meet many people who will tell you that you will never make it, that’s why you must stay strong. (Pierre Gasly)

The most important thing is to dream and chase after your dreams. (Lewis Hamilton)

You need to make sure that it is the driver who loves this sport, and not his father (Carlos Sainz).

If you manage to combine talent and hard work, that’s when you become special. (Max Verstappen)

The key is to be passionate, to love what you do. (Sebastian Vettel)

Behind these smiles within the paddock, there are sometimes very sad stories that have marked the lives and minds of the drivers. This is particularly the case for Alex Albon. When the Thai driver was only 15 years old, his mother was arrested. The reason for this arrest? His mother was accused of defrauding over 7.5 million dollars. In a sport where money is king, this significant event could have spelled the end of Alex Albon’s career, in a sport where he desperately needed funding.

For Charles Leclerc, the loss of loved ones in his inner circle may have been a hindrance. The disappearance, notably of his godfather, Jules Bianchi, after a 13-month coma following an accident in Formula 1 in Suzuka, Japan. But also, when he was in Formula 2, the Monégasque driver had to cope with the death of his father, Hervé Leclerc.

At Lewis Hamilton’s place, it was the increasing intimidation and racism he was subjected to in the neighborhood where he grew up. In a sport where there is still very little diversity, the driver with the yellow helmet (to be recognized by his father when he was go-karting) has come a long way to become who he is today. To finance his years of karting, Sir Lewis’ father would work two jobs so that his son could fully pursue his passion.

The general public obviously knows each driver on the grid, but for the most part, they don’t know where they come from or the challenges they have overcome. This documentary, lasting just over 17 minutes, will showcase each driver. The viewer will get to know the actors in a deeper and more personal way than just through their actions on the track.

With Jeremy Philippe