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'F1 The Movie' is a very expensive promotional film

'F1 The Movie' is a very expensive promotional film

Economist26-06-2025
Hollywood has not always been kind to the world's most popular motorsport. In 'Talladega Nights' (2006), a dimwit comedy, Formula One (f1) was personified by a French driver who brags that his countrymen 'invented democracy, existentialisme and the blowjob'. F1, in this telling, was pretentious and it was foreign: an interloper in NASCAR-loving America.
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Eddie Jordan's send-off was a reminder that life in sport is so noble that it's harrowing when it's taken away, writes OLIVER HOLT
Eddie Jordan's send-off was a reminder that life in sport is so noble that it's harrowing when it's taken away, writes OLIVER HOLT

Daily Mail​

time21 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Eddie Jordan's send-off was a reminder that life in sport is so noble that it's harrowing when it's taken away, writes OLIVER HOLT

There was a memorial service to celebrate the life of Eddie Jordan at Westminster Central Hall on Monday. It was riotous, just as Eddie's life was. When his widow, Marie, spotted a friend beginning to cry when they met before the start, she scolded him gently. It was not to be that sort of occasion. Nor was it. Eddie's was a life well lived, a life that was cut short too soon, but a life that had given him love, children, grandchildren, happiness, success and a rock-star lifestyle in Formula One. A thousand people and more who loved him celebrated all that he was when they flocked to this cavernous venue. And as the service came to an end, Eddie's old Silverstone band, Eddie and the Robbers, were joined on stage by Rick Astley, Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford, performers from Michael Flatley 's Lord of the Dance and a cohort of clapping, stamping F1 drivers, among their number Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen, Martin Donnelly, David Coulthard, Johnny Herbert, Martin Brundle and Eddie Irvine. As they clapped and cheered, footage on the big screen behind them showed Jordan jumping off the pit wall at Spa in 1998 and skipping joyously down the pit lane in the aftermath of Damon Hill's victory in the Belgian Grand Prix, the first triumph for Jordan Grand Prix, the day the sport's great disruptor entered the pantheon of its greats. The day after Lando Norris won the British Grand Prix for McLaren and huge crowds swelled the stands at the old aerodrome at Silverstone, everything seeming to confirm that the sport is in rude health, it was worth remembering that today's heroes stand on the shoulders of giants like Jordan. After the service, we all went down to the Lecture Hall and Library and savoured the joy of seeing old friends and resolving to meet again soon and recapture those days of the 1980s and '90s that were at the heart of the youth of many of us, swapping stories about Eddie. Mine are only fond. Like many, I will always feel I owe him a debt because he, and friends of his like his commercial director, Ian Phillips, were welcoming and friendly to me when I came into the sport in the early 90s and introduced me to people who I might never have met otherwise. It was Eddie who egged me on, with indecent glee, to do a bungee jump at the Indianapolis 500 in 1993. He told the story ever after of how petrified and inelegant I looked — and was — as I plunged off the platform. It was the first and last time I ever did a bungee jump. It would not have happened without him. I remember how amused he was when Bob McKenzie, from the Daily Express, and I offered to take him and Phillips to dinner at a fancy restaurant called Le Roannay in Francorchamps during another Belgian Grand Prix weekend. As the night wore on and the wine flowed, he invited Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone over and the night got better and better, Flavio ordering the best grappas the restaurant served. They had to wake Bob and I at the end of the night when everyone else had gone — and then we saw the bill. I swapped a few messages with Eddie a couple of years before he died in March this year at the age of 76, and he was still laughing about that night. 'Reminds me of Spa when da journos PAID,' he wrote and I could hear him laughing. He was still full of mischief. Not too long ago, he gave me some information about a deal he thought was happening in F1 and was delighted when we ran it. 'U did brilliant to run da story,' he wrote. 'Bravo.' Bob was there on Monday, of course, and Ian, with a few genuine rock stars, a lot of grandchildren and many of the drivers who drove for him. There were a lot of songs and a lot of reminiscences of a man who, as Hill had said recently, 'had the energy of a nuclear power station'. There were plenty of readings, too. His daughter, Zoe, read beautifully. It was one of the only solemn parts of the afternoon. She recited A E Housman's poem To an Athlete Dying Young. 'Now you will not swell the rout,' she read, 'Of lads that wore their honours out, Runners whom renown outran, And the name died before the man.' I thought then of sport and loss and of Diogo Jota, a young man, humble and amiable, a loving husband, father, son, brother, champion, footballer and friend, taken so, so early, and of the terrible tragedy of a full life like Eddie's that was snatched away from Jota in an instant. There is something so noble and vital about a life in sport, a life that represents vigour, youth and triumph, that the loss of men and women in the arena, men and women who have lived our dreams and given us so much, seems even harder to bear. 'The time you won your town the race,' Housman's poem begins, 'We chaired you through the market-place, Man and boy stood cheering by, And home we brought you shoulder-high. 'Today, the road all runners come, Shoulder-high we bring you home, And set you at your threshold down, Townsman of a stiller town.' What a strange coincidence Even limited exposure to elements of the Premier League is enough to make a cynic out of a saint. If it were not enough that Arsenal should have continued to pick Thomas Partey for nearly three years knowing he faced allegations of rape, what a strange coincidence that the player should be charged three days after the expiry of his Arsenal contract. The brain glitches with tech errors One of the problems with technology in sport is that officials are so in thrall to it that it steals away their common sense and ability to exercise judgment. When Britain's Sonay Kartal hit a backhand that was clearly long at a crucial juncture of her match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Sunday, chair umpire Nico Helwerth ordered the point to be replayed when it became apparent the line-calling system had been inadvertently switched off. Pavlyuchenkova was, rightly, livid and the authorities are fortunate that she went on to win the match. The issue is that the shot was several inches out. It wasn't even close to clipping the line. If Helwerth had called it as he saw it, there would not have been a problem. But when technology glitches, the human brain appears to glitch with it.

After 117 years, Downtown L.A.'s iconic Cole's French Dip is shutting down
After 117 years, Downtown L.A.'s iconic Cole's French Dip is shutting down

Time Out

time2 hours ago

  • Time Out

After 117 years, Downtown L.A.'s iconic Cole's French Dip is shutting down

It's one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles, one of two debated originators of the French Dip and the birthplace of a cornerstones of the city's contemporary cocktail scene. But come next month, Cole's will permanently close its doors. The Downtown L.A. restaurant, a 6th Street mainstay since 1908 that's easily spotted by its neon sign, will cease operations on August 3, 2025. The news surfaced over the weekend—first spotted by DTLA Weekly —and since then, Eater spoke with owner Cedd Moses, who confirmed the plans and cited the lingering impacts of the pandemic, the dual writers and actors strikes, rising costs and local bureaucracy. 'We have cherished our time serving the Downtown community, and will continue to craft great drinks and our renowned French dip sandwiches until we shutter,' Moses said in a statement shared with the publication. If you ever sat in one of Cole's shiny red booths over a late-night plate of garlic fries and an old-fashioned, then you already probably have some sense of the history here, from its famed French dip to its frequent appearances in film and TV (perhaps most beautifully shot on Mad Men) to its purported regulars: Plaques in the men's room boast that gangster Mickey Cohen and novelist Charles Bukowski 'pissed here' (as seen in my photo below from a 2014 visit—so excuse the decade-old smartphone quality). Cole's started service in 1908 as a sandwich shop and bar on the ground floor of the Pacific Electric Building, then a terminal on L.A.'s extensive streetcar system. Though the Red Car eventually went away, Cole's persisted, and as it entered its second century in service, it found a new place in L.A.'s culinary scene. Moses's ownership group Pouring With Heart (then 213 Hospitality) scooped up the venue in the aughts and unveiled its renovation in 2008; a year later, the Varnish began serving some of the city's finest cocktails in the backroom, an early entry among L.A.'s contemporary crop of speakeasy-style bars (it shuttered last year). But its biggest claim to fame just might be as the inventor of the French dip—supposedly. As the story goes, back in 1908 chef Jack Garlinghouse dipped a hand-carved sandwich into the meat's juices to soften up the French bread, and thus the French dip was born. But Chinatown's Philippe the Original, which opened in 1908 as well, also lays claim to the French dip, when a decade later one was accidentally dropped into a roasting pan. So which is the actual originator? Because there's no hard evidence in either's camp, we'll likely never know.

Lewis Hamilton gushes over Raye at the F1 British Grand Prix amid romance rumours - after he couldn't keep his eyes off her during her performance
Lewis Hamilton gushes over Raye at the F1 British Grand Prix amid romance rumours - after he couldn't keep his eyes off her during her performance

Daily Mail​

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Lewis Hamilton gushes over Raye at the F1 British Grand Prix amid romance rumours - after he couldn't keep his eyes off her during her performance

Lewis Hamilton gushed over Raye with sweet comments at the F1 British Grand Prix on Saturday amid romance rumours between the pair. As speculation continues to swirl around their relationship, the racing driver, 40, did nothing to quell the gossip as he spoke kindly about the singer, 27, after she entertained the crowds with a performance at the event. Hamilton told the crowd on the main stage at Silverstone following qualifying: 'Raye is the first concert I've been to after a race and she was great. 'She was the first concert I've been to at Silverstone actually so it was great to see her wasn't it. 'It's so great that acts can come here now. When I was watching last night I was like it's incredible to perform here the crowd were great.' A source exclusively told MailOnline of him watching the show: 'I saw Lewis at the side of the stage last night and he was loving Raye, I was shocked to see him there with qualifying coming up but he staying for the whole set and really showed his support to her. 'Today the British crowd went crazy when Lewis came out and when he bought up Raye there were loads of cheers.' Lewis was seen excitedly watching from the sidelines as Raye took to the stage. She looked sensational in a figure-hugging red leather gown, with Lewis barely able to take his eyes off her as he enjoyed the show. The sportsman attempted to keep a low profile as the gig as he stood back in the shadows behind Raye's supporters at the side of the stage. A source added of Lewis' appearance: 'He literally didn't leave side of stage the entire time and he was in Raye's personal side and was loving it. 'I was very shocked how long he stayed, he was clearly trying to show he's committed.' Raye's performance at the event came shortly after she was spotted in the Ferrari garage at Silverstone Circuit on Friday after sparking romance rumours with the team's driver Lewis. The Escapism hitmaker couldn't contain her smile as she watched the drivers practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit. She cut a casual figure in a beige T-shirt and blue jeans, while wearing glasses and red headphones. Raye was joined in the garage by Maura Higgins, who showcased her impeccable style in a bold black vest and Prada sunglasses. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc 's girlfriend Alexandra Saint Mleux was also spotted in the Silverstone paddock. The influencer looked chic in a white co-ord by PrettyLittleThing while walking her adorable dog Leo through the grounds. Elsewhere Sam Fender took to the stage at Silverstone's iconic festival on Thursday before Jade put on an incredible performance for racing fans. The line-up was announced on the February 20, and on this day viagogo saw a 70% increase in fans searching for F1 tickets compared to the week prior. Raye, who won an impressive seven Brit Awards last year, has been growing strength to strength and on the viagogo website experienced an 845% rise in ticket searches the week after her monumental wins. Meanwhile Sam Fender has been one of the most sought after tickets for 2025 as shown by search data on the viagogo platform. The month prior to his most recent St James Park headline show on the June 15 saw enough fans were looking for tickets to fill the stadium almost 2.5 times over. Other than Edinburgh and Belfast in August, Silverstone will be the last announced performance to catch Sam this year, showing that F1 has secured one of the hottest acts in the UK. Elsewhere Becky Hill closed the weekend opening the British Grand Prix by singing the National Anthem followed by taking to the stage in the evening. The songstress has become more and more popular and last year her combined ticket searches on viagogo could have almost filled Wembley Stadium three times over. However it's not just Silverstone UK F1 fans are travelling to as many are now jetting around the globe having currently purchased tickets to 23 out of the 24 international GP's via the viagogo platform, who have partnered with BWT Alpine Formula One Team. And following the Drive to Survive Season 7 launch on March 7, viagogo saw an 87% increase in fans searching for F1 tickets that week compared to the week before. This year there was an encouraging start to the weekend for home hero Lewis, who posted the fastest time in first practice ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion has endured an inauspicious start to life at Ferrari since his high-profile departure from Mercedes at the end of last season. The 40-year-old currently sits sixth in the drivers standings, 28 points behind team-mate Charles, who has outperformed him at all but one race - the Emilia Romana Grand Prix - in 2025. Lewis' car found its groove in the first period of running for the weekend and the Brit posted a time of 1:26.892, ahead of McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who finished second and third-fastest respectively. While Raye and Lewis have yet to confirm or deny their romance, an anonymous insider was the first to break the potential news on Lewis and Raye's relationship, telling Deuxmoi, 'Raye and Lewis Hamilton are dating. From friends to lovers.' There was an encouraging start to the weekend for home hero Lewis, who posted the fastest time in first practice ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion has endured an inauspicious start to life at Ferrari since his high-profile departure from Mercedes at the end of last season. The 40-year-old currently sits sixth in the drivers standings, 28 points behind team-mate Charles, who has outperformed him at all but one race - the Emilia Romana Grand Prix - in 2025. Lewis' car found its groove in the first period of running for the weekend and the Brit posted a time of 1:26.892, ahead of McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who finished second and third-fastest respectively. While Raye and Lewis have yet to confirm or deny their romance, an anonymous insider was the first to break the potential news on Lewis and Raye's relationship, telling Deuxmoi, 'Raye and Lewis Hamilton are dating. From friends to lovers.' Raye previously attended the 2025 Melbourne Grand Prix, wearing Ferrari red and hanging out in their garage. But the singer was quick to refer to the seven-time world champion driver as a 'friend' during a trackside interview. Fans have been able to trace photos of the pair back to July 2023 when Raye first attended the Britsh Grand Prix, and since then they have been noticed hanging out around New York together. The duo were also seen together at the 2024 Met Gala, and Lewis cheered Raye on after her BRIT awards win. Lewis had famously been in an on-off relationship with Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger from 2007 until their final split in 2015. The F1 star had met Scherzinger at the MTV EMAs in 2007 and were together for 20 months but split for the first time in January 2010, before later reconciling. They then split again in late 2011, before giving their relationship another go in early 2012. They called time on things once again in July 2013, which prompted Scherzinger to break down in tears during her time on the X Factor judging panel. By February 2014 things were back on, before their final separation the following year. The reason for the final split had been put down to the pressures of a long-distance relationship, with Hamilton frequently travelling as part of the sprawling F1 circuit. 'I'm devastated that it didn't work out. It was the hardest decision we had to make, but we made it together,' Scherzinger said in 2015. 'We wish nothing but happiness and the very best for one another.' Hamilton admitted he had learned from the high-profile nature of the relationship, and claimed in 2022 that he was 'happy on my own.' 'I learned the hard way, I learned the hard way,' Hamilton said. 'I haven't talked about it much. I'm really just super focused on work.' Hamilton has largely tried to keep his personal life under wraps ever since, but he has been linked with several high-profile stars, including Shakira and Sofia Vergara.

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