P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The idea sounded so good, but in the end it simply wasn’t possible: a movie based on Formula 1 for Sylvester Stallone. Exactly 24 years ago, he announced that his film Driven would not be based on Formula 1, but on the American CART Champ Car Series. In the end, that turned out to be a good thing for F1.
In the 1990s, Sylvester Stallone, the American actor and filmmaker, had the idea to make an action and sports film based on Formula 1. He became interested in the sport after attending a few F1 races in Europe while shooting another film. Stallone wanted to explore the human aspect of being an F1 driver and understand their lives behind the helmet. Despite being told that making a Formula One film would be expensive and challenging, Stallone continued his research by talking to drivers and crew in the pits and attending races.
However, Stallone eventually encountered difficulties in making the film, with people telling him that it was not possible. He criticized the closed nature of Formula 1 and the influence of Bernie Ecclestone, stating that he found it difficult to get to know people in the sport. As a result, Stallone decided to shift the focus of his film to the CART Champ Car Series, where he found more openness and cooperation.
The film, titled “Driven,” was released in 2001 but was a commercial and critical failure. It received multiple nominations for the Golden Raspberry Awards, which recognize the worst films of the year. Ultimately, the film’s failure spared Formula 1 from potential damage that could have been caused by a poorly-received movie.
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