This Formula 1 Helmet Cam Video Will Either Purge Your System Or Make Your Holiday Weekend Hangover Even More Violent
Well hello there! I hope this blog finds you well as you celebrate Memorial Day weekend. Whether you happened to stumble upon this Formula 1 video from the run-up to the world-renowned Monaco Grand Prix Friday night when it dropped, or you're just catching it now, I pray that you aren't nursing any sort of booze-fueled equilibrium imbalance.
Because if you are? This will be your approximate reaction to the video above. You can't say I didn't warn you.
Here's a soundtrack-backed version of the video that'll actually play within here (THANKS, F1):
The driver in that open-air cockpit, bless his soul, is Scuderia Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. The 25-year-old finished second in the F1 driver standings last year and is actually from Monte Carlo. That's right. Hometown kid living out his dream. Unfortunately, Leclerc hasn't found much success at the Monaco Grand Prix, with multiple DNFs and other bad breaks along the way. The young man nabbed pole position in 2021 and didn't even start the race. More here from ESPN if interested.
Update on Leclerc: OH NO!!!!!!
But yeah, I took this helmet cam video in at about 9 a.m., and not that I went too hard last night, but if somebody did, I can only imagine how much of a distorted reality they'd be attempting to navigate through. If whatever I did or didn't see last night was any indication, we'll have a surprising amount of stragglers in Jersey/the greater New York City area who went a little too hard Friday willing themselves out of bed to drag their asses to the Shore for the remainder of the weekend. If you fit this description, please do not watch. That would be terrible.
…Or do! Because seriously only one of two outcomes are possible: 1) Your hangover gets significantly worse and you have no choice but to crash out for a few hours. Not a bad aid to sleep off that rough night before. Hopefully not in that bright sun on the beach sans sunscreen. TAKE SHELTER. …or 2) you'll Gary Johnston Team America all over the place and feel much better afterwards.
It's mind-blowing to me whenever anything Formula 1-related like this drops. The globe's top open-wheel racing circuit grants so much insider access and behind-the-scenes looks at what their driving teams go through. (EDIT: You know what they don't do, though? Let embedded tweet videos play without rerouting to an external link!) It never ceases to amaze. These hairpin turns the drivers have to make at warp speeds. Split-second decisions. Complex math in the blink of an eye in real time. Not going to pretend like I'm some F1 diehard but the whole concept of it is almost hard to believe given the danger, speed and precision with which these drivers and teams operate.
OK have a good little extra time off y'all. Stay safe. If you're feeling down bad today or at any point in the coming days, you can use this to either purge your system or induce a sudden sleep on account of nausea. On a count of nausea.
Almost forgot: Couldn't help but be reminded a little bit of this awesome scene from Ford v Ferrari. Seriously incredible how Tracy Letts nails the comedic reaction so well, and then delivers that gut-punch line about how he wishes his father could've been around to see and feel the car. SO GOOD.