Top 70 Best Racing Movies To Watch In 2023

 

In 1894, Paris to Rouen marked the first true organized race in the history of the world though there were some unofficial races before.

 

From then the sport had a massive growth from the hearts of the manufacturers to the common man.

 

Out of all the interests of man, the love for the races and the adrenaline rushes they give have remained constant.

 

While most people think it is an unwanted risk, for the people close to the sport ‘ it is a work of art on tracks and we don’t disagree either.

 

The list also includes some really good documentaries since we can never leave out the legends who made the genre possible.

 

Here are ENTOIN’S top 70 racing movies including car racing movies.

 

 

70. McLaren (2017)

 

 

The 2017 documentary film traces the life of New Zealand motor car racer Bruce McLaren.

 

Packed with some really interesting archival footage of the time as well, the movie brings into life a rich time of the sport from the past.

 

It is said that only very few know about this man and his greatness. It is a well-documented film and the techniques employed are also very superior.

 

 

69. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

 

 

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby premiered in theatres in 2006. Directed by Adam McKay, this movie features Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, and Sacha Baron Cohen in the lead.

 

If you have a particular liking for comedy-sport movies, then you can try this title. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby received a score of 6.6 on IMDb and 66 on Metacritic.

 

NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby is one of the most successful drivers, and along with his best friend Cal Naughton Jr., the duo is an unstoppable force. However, due to Bobby's newfound arrogance, Dennit decides to add a talented French Formula One driver Jean Girard to the team who manages to outperform both Bobby and Cal, leading to their ouster after a series of poor performances.

 

Bobby must step up once again, fight his demons and show Girard why he's still the best in the business.

 

 

 

68. Death Proof (2007)

 

 

 

The Quentin Tarantino slasher film was initially released in theatres as part of Grindhouse, a double feature that combined Death Proof with Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror.

 

As Grindhouse did not perform as expected later the changes were made. Kurt Russell elevated the movie's performance to the next level as well.

 

The movie happens in two sequences with very contrasting events of what is done and what is being done to them.

 

The brutal murders, including the really good cars and the chases involved, make this a brutally engaging movie to watch.

 

 

 

67. Speed Racer (2008)

 

 

 

The 2008 sports action-comedy film is based on an anime of the same name. Speed Racer has always been in love with automobile racing and grew up idolizing his brother.

 

Now as he sets out on building his career corporate conglomerates approach him though at first, he hesitates because his parents don’t trust them.

 

Eventually, Speed runs away and builds his career on the way realizing and not understanding a lot of things around him.

 

The film portrays some excellent visual design and style.

 

 

 

66. Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)

 

 

 

The story centres around two men, a driver and a mechanic who live on the road in their highly modified, primer-gray, 1955 Chevrolet 150 two-door sedan drag car travelling through the US.

 

They challenge the locals to impromptu drag races and thereby make their living. When the duo picks up a female hitchhiker there is a rift about to happen between the two.

 

And to make things more complicated another car driver, GTO challenges them to a cross country across to Washington with the winner getting the pink slips of the cars.

 

And from then the story changes to a very different experience altogether with some different things happening.

 

The very open-ended script has everything that points to the gloominess and emptiness of the ’70s.

 

 

 

65. Collateral (2004)

 

 

 

And here is a thriller you wouldn’t want to miss out on. Max Durocher is a Los Angeles cab driver who hopes to own his own limousine company one day.

 

One of his evening fares for the day was federal prosecutor Annie Farrell whom he immediately connects with.

 

And the next fare for the day was Vincent who offers him a large sum on realizing his skill in driving. but when Vincent is revealed to be an assassin and the targets are familiar, things start getting difficult for Max.

 

As it looks like there is no immediate backing from the deal.

 

 

 

64. Days of Thunder (1990)

 

 

Days of Thunder is an action-drama which has been helmed for the screen by Tony Scott. Toplined by actors such as Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and Robert Duvall (main characters), the film was released in 1990 with a runtime of 1 hour and 47 min.

 

Young racer Cole Trickle has years of experience in open-wheel racing, winning championships with the World of Outlaws. He sets his sights on the Indianapolis 500, and Chevrolet dealership tycoon recruits him to race for his team in the NASCAR Cup series.

 

Former crew chief and car builder Harry Hogge is brought in to lead Cole's pit crew. While Cole struggles to adjust to NASCAR terminology, a budding rivalry between him and dirty driver Rowdy Burns complicates matters further.

 

 

 

63. Greased Lightning (1977)

 

 

 

The biographical film loosely traces the life of the first African American NASCAR race winner and 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Wendell Scott.

 

Wendell Scott had returned from war and was running moonshine in the prospect of a new garage.

 

When Police catch him, he is asked to race by a local race car owner to get out of it.

 

As he slowly grows into his fame it is not that easy for a black man to climb up the stairs.

 

Despite the flaws, it is an insight into the struggles of a man who fought hard for his passion.

 

 

 

62. Baby Driver (2017)

 

 

 

Baby is the getaway driver you need if you are planning a robbery. Baby is the getaway driver to Doc as he owes him a lot of money.

 

The baby also suffers from tinnitus, and he uses music to calm down. Doc changes members now and then while Baby also falls for a waitress.

 

And to survive when he wants to put a lot of it in the past is not that easy.

 

There are some stunning car chases and excellent acting skills by some very big names to look forward to.

 

 

 

61. Vanishing Point (1971)

 

 

 

Kowalski is an ex-veteran, former professional racer, and former police officer who delivers cars across the country.

 

His latest assignment is to deliver a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Magnum to San Francisco.

 

Before leaving he also makes a bet with his dealer Jake, that he will deliver the car on Sunday though it is only to be delivered by Monday.

 

As he races through, the city’s cops chase him and a radio jockey and the underground is supporting him.

 

While the hero races into the desert, there is a storm brewing as his fate which he is not aware of.

 

The race of the “last beautiful free soul on this planet" thus became a cult classic in the genre after its release.

 

 

 

60. The Hitchhiker (1953)

 

 

 

The American film noir tells the story of two friends who are taken hostage by a hitchhiker on their road trip to Mexico.

 

They do claim it’s a real story, let's hope that it is not. Two guys are out on a planned fishing trip to Mexico.

 

Being the compassionate kind that they are, when they find a man hitchhiking, they take him in. but unfortunately the man, Emmet Myers is a wanted criminal for robbing and killing the people who take him on their vehicles.

 

And for the bad luck part, let's see how this turns out for the duo.

 

 

 

59. Christine (1983)

 

 

 

The movie is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. Arnie Cunningham is not the school favorite nor the extraordinary kind but when he falls into Christine's trap there is no going back from this scary adventure.

 

Arnies life is about to go on a rollercoaster ride when he buys the dilapidated Fury from George LeBay.

 

The car takes it his duty to save Arnies life and then the obsession gets carried over to something disastrous.

 

Little does he know that the car has a dark past that will haunt his present-day obsession with it.

 

The movie had a really good cast including the supporting team

 

 

58. Thelma & Louise (1991)

 

 

 

Thelma and Louise bored with their normal life set out on a road trip. But on the way, they had to fire at a man who tries to rape Thelma which starts a chain reaction of events including some mad chases.

 

Though there are people who believe in the genuine misfortunes of the duo, no one has the ability to change what had happened already.

 

A buddy movie is a remarkable approach to bringing something different in the genre and shows the true potential of life with solid performances from all the cast.

 

 

57. Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip (2013 TV Movie)

 

 

Another TV special movie from the top gear family. Jeremy and Richard are going on a seven-day road trip across Europe.

 

As usual, there are excellent automobiles included. Ford Model T, a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, a Porsche Cayman S, and an Aston Martin Vanquish are very special additions.

 

There are a lot of challenges, some cheating, and one unexpected climax.

 

 

56. Fast & Furious 8 (2017)

 

 

 

The final movie from the franchise has Dom and Letty leading a calm life in Cuba until a new villain arrives with a mission that will turn him against his own family.

 

As Hobbs is assigned a new mission, he calls back the team. When Dom goes rogue things don’t go well for the people involved as some of them even end up in jail.

 

It is an international trip with not much of a story but some very interesting sequences to watch.

 

 

55. Fast & Furious 7 (2015)

 

 

 

As Dom and his crew come back to Los Angeles to lead a normal life they don’t realize that someone is looking for them.

 

Deckard Shaw is looking for revenge and they are not safe. While both the teams are in search of a common goal, to find tracking software there ensues a very dangerous cat and mouse chase.

 

The car jump is iconic as well as very supernatural. The movie was widely discussed for the midway unfortunate death of Paul Walker.

 

 

54. Fast & Furious 6 (2013)

 

 

 

The movie picks up from the plotline of the previous movie in the franchise. The gang is back together when they realize that Letty was never murdered but alive.

 

American agents Hobbs and Riley are after the criminal mastermind Shaw. As Hobbs lures Dom and the team by baiting Letty, the team is back to fight their alter ego and it turns out to be a real mess.

 

There are a lot of cars, fighting, and some really good action sequences.

 

 

53. The Last American Hero (1973)

 

 

 

The sports drama film is based on the story of American NASCAR driver Junior Johnson.

 

Growing up, Junior Jackson had a tough life. When his father, a moonshiner was arrested, Junior is to find a source for the legal defense and to keep the family afloat.

 

But when fate has different plans you can't change it. He ends up on the racetracks slowly evolving into the greatest those tracks had ever seen.

 

From the backwoods of racing, the movie shows some good techniques.

 

 

52. Gentleman driver (2018)

 

 

Gentleman drivers are wealthy amateur drivers who race alongside professionals and bring most of the funding for the races.

 

These successful men have taken their time to finally learn and do something they must have always wanted to do.

 

The documentary takes into note a handful of these drivers and their stories.

 

 

51. Fast & Furious (2009)

 

 

 

Five years after the escape from the US the crew is back to hijacking fuel tankers in the Dominican Republic but they had to split as they sense an oncoming danger.

 

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are back in their respective roles again but this time Dom also has to avenge the death of Letty, his girlfriend.

 

Paul is in search of Arturo Braga, a Mexican drug lord. As their paths cross again, the rush and races are back on track.

 

And yes Dom is finally convicted. It is not a bad movie though there are a lot of flaws.

 

Once you are into the genre, it is not a bad watch.

 

 

50. Superspeedway (1997)

 

 

The documentary racing film traces the life of Mario Andretti and his son Michael. Mario is the only man to win the CART Championship, F1 Championship, Daytona 500, and Indianapolis 500.

 

There are also two very important cars one to be restored and the other to be perfected.

 

And the movie has the right amount of everything that you expect from a racing story till the very end, making it a worthy experience.

 

 

49. Fast & Furious 5 (2011)

 

 

Together Brian and Mia help break Dominic from his prison sentence. As they head down to Rio they take on a new job to steal some cars which goes very wrong and they end up being the targets of the government.

 

In between the events, they find details of a hundred million dollars hidden by a criminal mind and one of the greatest and most imaginative heists follows.

 

Rock plays an important role in this one which is a bonus point. The cars do some really good performances and that’s worth it.

 

It is one of the fairly good movies from the franchise

 

 

48. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

 

 

 

The standalone sequel to 2 fast 2 furious is a Tokyo version of the franchise that became an instant hit within the group that emphasized more on car culture and street racing.

 

Vin Diesel makes a cameo appearance in the movie as well. Sean Boswell is sent to live in Japan with his father as he got into trouble with street racing.

 

But he finds a similar crowd in Tokyo as well and ends up making an enemy and also a huge debt.

 

And from that, there are a lot of flashy cars and races involved. Though the plotline isn’t very big, the film is a major chapter in the movies yet to come out from the franchise then.

 

 

47. Winning (1969)

 

 

 

Frank Capua is a very dedicated racecar driver. When he married Elora he becomes close to her son Charlie as well.

 

But Frank's dedication often makes him forget his familial responsibilities which leads Elora to cheat on him with his rival on the racetrack, Luther.

 

At the Indianapolis 500, though Frank wins the race, he doesn’t want to fail in the biggest race of his life either.

 

Paul Newman's passion for auto racing finally received a platform to be shown with this movie.

 

 

46. The Transporter (2002)

 

 

 

Frank Martin, a highly skilled operative now works as a ‘transporter’. He transports anything to the required location but under three main rules: Never change the rule, Any names, and Never open the package.

 

But for once he opens the package which is revealed to be a young woman but Frank delivers her.

 

After the deal when frank realizes his own life is in danger there ensues some dangerous fights and car chases.

 

Jason Statham and the supporting cast have done a tremendous job in the movie that you could watch for the sake of pure entertainment.

 

 

45. Cars 3 (2017)

 

 

 

The final movie from the franchise starts with Lightning McQueen facing the new rookie Jackson Storm who has been challenging a lot of McQueen's friends forcing them to early retirement.

 

As McQueen is humiliated by failure in a race. He gets a new owner and also a trainer named Cruz Ramirez.

 

It’s a circle in life and what McQueen finally ends up doing makes a lot of sense and understanding.

 

And for Cruz, the bumpy road did lead to a happy ending.

 

 

44. Getaway (2013)

 

 

 

Ethan Hawke plays Brent Magna a former NASCAR driver whose wife has been kidnapped by someone named Voice.

 

The voice gives him some nearly impossible tasks to drive around risking the life of a lot of civilians involved.

 

The intentions of the tasks were revealed only at the very end. Most of the movie takes place in the car.

 

Selena Gomez and Mila Kunis also play two important characters in the movie.

 

 

43. Turbo (2013)

 

 

 

The 3D computer-animated sports comedy is the story of Theo's self-named ‘Turbo’, a snail who dreams to be a racer.

 

While he is teased for his wishes, one day he gets sucked into the engine of a drag which results in him ingesting nitrous and gaining some powers of a car.

 

When Turbo and his brother are captured by the taco guy, there Turbo gets to show off his power and also gets the opportunity to finally meet his racing idol.

 

The animation is spectacular and is also a cute story that will entertain the kids.

 

 

42. Herbie Fully Loaded (2005)

 

 

 

The final movie from the Disney series of the friendly Volkswagen Herbie series and the final one was set around a NASCAR track.

 

Maggie Peyton is the youngest member of the Peyton racing class however her father is not very pleased by her idea to race.

 

But when she is bought Herbie, the Volkswagen as a graduation present, her destiny seems to be already written.

 

But when NASCAR driver Matt Dillon, the villain figures out about Herbie's self-thinking ability, they are almost in trouble.

 

It’s a beautiful family movie with some really good races.

 

 

41. Fast 2 Furious (2003)

 

 

 

Retaining only Brian from the first movie, the sequel to the previous movie in the series after revealing his true identity to Dominic Toretto and the group Brian O’Conner is once again pulled back into the business though he is no longer part of the police force.

 

He brings his friend Roman as well as the two try to get hold of a drug dealer to clear all their charges.

 

John Singleton as the new member of the group showed some really good directing techniques.

 

As for the cars, it gets better with the movie.

 

 

40. The Fast and the Furious (2001)

 

 

 

"The Fast and Furious became one of the fastest-growing film franchises in the blink of an eye.

 

Rob Cohen, the director started the preparations for the movie once when he was introduced to illegal street racing in 1998.

 

The first movie in the series follows LAPD officer Brian O'Conner who is assigned to uncover a heist that leads him to Torreto’s market where he goes undercover to investigate the crew.

 

When he gradually wins over Dominic Torreto and his family. As he gets closer to the truth, it becomes harder to see right from wrong

 

 

39. Le Mans (1971)

 

 

 

The 1971 film depicts a fictional 24 hours of Le Mans centering on Steve McQueen.

 

The story is mainly about the rivalry between Steve McQueen who plays the American driver, Michael Delaney, and Siegfried Rauch who plays Erich Stahler his German competitor.

 

The film follows a docudrama style with a story but more of a theme that gives a close-to-heart experience of the real races and the fire it breathes. "Racing's important to men who do it well.

 

When you're racing, it's life".

 

 

38. Race to Dakar (2006-)

 

 

The documentary series traces the journey of Charley Boorman's entry to the Dakar Rally from Lisbon to Dakar.

 

Having already publicly committed to the wish of Long Way Round book publishers, It was Boorman's lifelong ambition to participate in the same.

 

With Simon Pavey and third rider Matt hall, they entered the event. As the race begins it becomes more engaging, challenging, and interesting.

 

Through the multiple difficulties, they faced on the way only Pavey was able to finish the whole event.

 

Fellow British riders and an unfortunate death are also shown in the series.

 

 

37. Love the Beast (2009)

 

 

As bad as the description sounds in the usual way, the movie will grow on you if you have ever owned a car yourself or even if not.

 

The documentary film revolves around Eric Bana and his first car a 1974 Ford XB Falcon Hardtop.

 

Bana and his friends grew up around the car and the hope to take part in The Targa Tasmania Rally.

 

Celebrities like Jay Leno, Dr. Phil, and Jeremy Clarkson also speak about their love for the automobiles owned in the documentary.

 

 

36. Drive Angry (2011)

 

 

 

In this, not so simple movie, Nicolas Cage plays Milton who has come back from hell to avenge the death of his daughter and the taking away of his granddaughter by the satan worshipping cult leader. the baby is going to be sacrificed in three days and Milton must find them before that.

 

And on this journey, he also takes the help of waitress Piper and her ride.

 

In the meantime, another man called the accountant is also chasing after them. The action-packed movie delivers some really good thrills, car chases, and fights.

 

 

35. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

 

 

The Australian post-apocalyptic action movie is the fourth installment in the franchise. Max is imprisoned by Immortan Joe's Citadel by the War Boys.

 

In the meantime, five of Joe’s wives are escaping with Imperator Furiosa in an armored war rig.

 

With Max strapped to his car they pursue. and then a fight ensues between the teams.

 

Some furious and scary actions follow. Charlize Theron joins Tom Hardy in being the lead, and that plotline was well employed making it a worthwhile experience.

 

The film also won six technical Oscars.

 

 

34. Overdrive (2017)

 

 

 

Andrew and Garret Foster are international car thieves and half-brothers. They don’t just steal any normal cars but the ones that car enthusiasts would die for.

 

When they steal a criminal boss’s prized Bugatti, they are forced to take on a deal for immunity.

 

And now the brothers have to quickly form a group to make the deal work.

 

Overdrive is a top-notch production for its thrilling driving and chasing, which makes it stand out as an interesting movie to watch.

 

 

33. Taxi 5 (2018)

 

 

The fifth and final installment in the taxi series didn’t receive the kind of acceptance from the previous ones.

 

Sami Nacery and Frederic Diefenthal were not in the cast which disappointed many but Frank Gastambide, Malik Bentalha, and the rest of the cast didn’t disappoint either.

 

Sylvain Maro, a highly ambitious policeman ends up in the Marseille division. He is informed of a gang of Italians who uses powerful Ferraris to commit crimes.

 

And now he has to stop the robbery of a diamond "Cassiopeia". And for that, the taxi needs some modifications and some extraordinary stunt skills.

 

 

32. Taxi 4 (2007)

 

 

The Police Department of Marseille was once again going to be in the headlines if not for their friend Daniel.

 

A Belgian criminal is in the custody of the department for a few hours before being transferred to Congo.

 

Emilien is fooled by the criminal so good that he lets him go which results in Emilien losing his job.

 

Thankfully Daniel plays an important role in helping Emilien. The Taxi series for the fun and mad driving skills maintain a certain amount of dignity that puts them in a good place since the beginning.

 

 

31. Taxi 3 (2003)

 

 

The third of the taxi films focuses on a group who dresses as Santa Claus and conducts heists.

 

As the attempts of the Marseille police group as usual go into big mistakes there is also a Chinese reporter looking into the performances of the police team.

 

As both Emilien and Daniel are going through respective issues in their relationships, there is no way they can stay away from getting involved as well.

 

As twists and turns happen unexpectedly, the fun and fast movie is an entertaining experience to invest your time in.

 

 

30. Taxi 2 (2000)

 

 

Peugeot, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI stars in this movie. But the main thing about this movie is actually that it is fast, furious, and also fun.

 

A Japanese defense minister is traveling to Paris to sign an arms contract but in between, he gets kidnapped while checking the anti-gang tactics at Marseille.

 

Speed demon taxi driver Daniel is the rescuer again with his extraordinary driving skills with the help of Emilien to fight the Yakuza gang.

 

 

29. Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)

 

 

 

Kip Raines is a well-established car thief and is about to steal fifty high-end cars for a British gangster.

 

When things go awry his brother Memphis who had retired from the business had to get involved.

 

And to complete the mission in four days Kip has to get some of the old crew back in action.

 

With detectives on the trail as well, the chase will keep you on the edge of your seats throughout.

 

 

28. Børning (2014)

 

 

The Nordic production proved to be an important contribution to the genre. Norway's take on fast and furious through the narrow roads with some beautiful sceneries is a treat to watch.

 

Car enthusiast Roy runs his company stallion parts and participates in occasional drag races with his beloved mustang.

 

Away from Roys's world, in the bourgeoisie environment lives his wife and child. And the problems start when his daughter decides to spend the summer with him and he loses a race.

 

As Roy is challenged to a race from Oslo to North Cape by his arch-enemy the race begins.

 

It’s a fun and fast movie to watch.

 

 

27. Faster (2010)

 

 

 

After chasing behind a lot of different genres Dwayne Johnson is back in the action world again as Driver.

 

This is also a revenge story and a pretty scary one. While robbing a bank his crew which also included his brother gets ambushed and killed.

 

Though he was shot Driver did not die and once out of the jail, he sets out on a  revenge saga.

 

Detective Cicero is assigned to the case and figures out that Driver is avenging the murder of his brother.

 

It is a simple but engaging story that is worth the time.

 

 

26. Need for Speed (2014)

 

 

 

Tobey Marshall takes care of his father’s garage, Marshall Performance Motors where he and his friends tune cars.

 

When a rival turns up with an offer he cannot resist, he in turn ends up building a disaster from scratch.

 

In a race, Tobey gets framed for the murder of his friend and lands in Jail.

 

And when Tobey is finally released, he wants revenge. The main gist of the story is the revenge and the race that happens around it.

 

 

25. Death Race 3: Inferno (2013)

 

 

Death Race has been sold to a ruthless and ambitious British billionaire. The hostile takeover changes a lot of the norms related to the same.

 

He wants a cross-continent race with multiple Frankensteins. And the race takes place in South Africa.

 

There are a lot of bizarre happenings with bizarre people around, and there is a brief explanation of Frankenstein as well.

 

 

24. Death Race 2 (2010)

 

 

Death Race 2 is the prequel to the 2008 movie. In the future prisons exist by streaming their deathmatches.

 

When getaway car driver Lucas is jailed on the terminal island. As the deathmatch ratings go down a tv producer comes up with the idea of a death race.

 

And then violence, some extreme actions, and races follow. Luke Goss does a great job as the lead.

 

The movie wasn’t a major success but is a fairly average watch.

 

 

23. Death Race (2008)

 

 

 

The dystopian thriller focuses on the story of an American prison privatized after the collapse of the US economy and the subsequent rise in crimes.

 

Jason Statham plays the role of an innocent man wrongly framed for the benefit of the deadly death race, A race that is streamed online by the prison, which if won grants instant freedom to the winner.

 

But the villain and the hero share some dangerous similarities. When the prison was in search of a new rider somehow Jason Statham was framed coincidentally or not.

 

Based on the 1976 cult classic, the Death Race is a movie of violence, extreme rash races, and some very dangerous conspirators.

 

 

22. Børning 2 (2016)

 

 

The first Borning movie did give a fair indication of a second movie in the sequence.

 

Our hero Roy is just released from prison following the events of the first movie.

 

As he tries to set a good example for his daughter and decides on no more street racing, he realizes that his daughter and her boyfriend are about to land themselves in big trouble, and by all means, he has to stop them.

 

Once again, the beautiful visuals of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Murmansk become a real treat to watch.

 

 

21. Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts (2012)

 

 

2011 was an iconic year for Audi as the rivalry between Audi and Peugeot was brewing and that the same year was chosen for documenting the  24 Hours of Le Mans was also an interesting watch.

 

The documentary film is nothing like the usual documentaries and by the end of it you all will end up connecting to it from the heart.

 

It’s an epic story that looks so unreal making it all the while a worthy watch.

 

 

20. Truth in 24 (2008)

 

 

The 2008 documentary traces Audi's preparation for the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Jason Statham narration is a special bonus point for the movie.

 

The movie traces the journey of the team through its multiple races and eventually gives an outlook on the evolution of Le Mans and the ultimate result of the race as well.

 

 

19. Williams (2017)

 

 

The British feature documentary narrates the story of the Williams Formula 1 team. Frank Williams did not come from a great place but worked hard to reach the place he was acclaimed for.

 

But he also made a lot of mistakes while building his team but that didn’t stop him to do something great that became noted in history.

 

To grow against all adversity is not a virtue that everyone is gifted with.

 

 

18. TT3D: Closer to the Edge (2011)

 

 

At the Isle of man, every year Isle of Man TT motorcycle race is conducted.

 

The documentary film narrates the story mainly focuses on Guy Martin, who you immediately take a liking to for being hilarious.

 

The movie in total is an interesting experience of the sport that some people dearly love.

 

The camera work deserves some special mention, the movie is worth watching even if it is only for those smooth sweeping shots

 

 

17. Cars 2 (2011)

 

 

 

As the racecar, Lightning McQueen and tow truck Mater travel the world for the World Grand Prix but on the journey, Mater gets lured into a trap and McQueen goes the other way as well.

 

The Pixar approach to trying something different from the usual storyline was greatly appreciated. Though there are a few questionable moments, the movie is still a very enjoyable experience.

 

The animation as always was top-notch.

 

 

16. Cars (2006)

 

 

 

The American animated sports comedy film is set in the world of talking cars, their races, and their individual growths.

 

It is the piston cup season and Lightning McQueen is the brash rookie sensation. But when he accidentally ends up in the wrong town, there is a life lesson to be learned by the shiny car.

 

Doc Hudson, the local judge later revealed to be a significant character is among the greatest gifts in the movie.

 

With great animation and technique, the movie is a must-watch for the great family movie that it is.

 

And for Radiator Springs, a soft spot you’ll all retain.

 

 

15. Weekend of a Champion (2013)

 

 

The documentary film tried to portray the story as loyal as possible. British Formula One racing driver Jackie Stewart is about to compete in the 1971 Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo.

 

40 years after the initial film, the modern movie is an ode to the legend.

 

Against all the odds of the day Stewart and his professionalism become the center of this great experience.

 

Decades later, the end part is a conversation between Polanski and Stewart reminiscing about the past and its glory.

 

And Stewart also revealed some very interesting stories together making this a memorable documentary to watch.

 

 

14. Life on the Limit (2013)

 

 

The documentary film traces the journey of formula one races from their early years. Michael Fassbender's narration begins with the epic crash in the 1996 Australian Grand Prix and then the narration takes us through the evolution, growth, business, and dealings behind the f1 enterprise.

 

It is an interesting approach to the genre and has done a fairly good job.

 

 

13. Logan Lucky (2017)

 

 

 

The American heist comedy film centres around Jimmy Logan played by Channing Tatum who was a former football star.

 

When he loses his job in the tunnels underneath the Charlotte Motor Speedway. And as his rich wife threatens to move out of the state with his daughter, he devises a plan to rob the speedway during a NASCAR race.

 

As Jimmy recruits his team, the slow starter movie then moves into a rather interesting phase.

 

 

12. Italian Race (2016)

 

 

The family story revolving around racing is loosely based on the life of rally racing driver Carlo Capone.

 

All Giulia De Martino has ever known is racing and everything and everyone she knows is also surrounding the same.

 

The exceptional talent worked under her father. Everything looked all right until her world comes crumbling down with her father's death and family struggles.

 

When her estranged elder brother whom she discovers to be extraordinarily brilliant in driving comes back home, she has to find ways to make things work so that they can all remain together.

 

It is the story of three siblings from very different generations growing through the events at the race track making it all a memorable story.

 

 

11. Rush (2013)

 

 

 

The biographical sports drama is based on the much-renowned Hunt–Lauda rivalry between two formula-one drivers.

 

Niki Lauda, the highly methodical Austrian rider, and James Hunt, the British rider story was well known and the accident was a piece of major news in the ’70s. the Hemsworth and Brühl performance worked on the brilliant performance of the movie.

 

It’s the story of the duel that grows even into off-tracks but is a masterpiece.

 

 

10. Joy Ride (2001)

 

 

 

Lewis Thomas is travelling from California to Colorado to meet his childhood friend and crush Vienna Wilcox but on the way he is forced to make an unexpected stop as his estranged brother Fuller is arrested again.

 

Fuller also joins him on the trip. As Fuller installs a CB radio in the car, they decide to prank a truck driver named Rusty Nail while pretending to be a woman interested in him.

 

But the events don’t turn out to be as entertaining as they hope and the truck driver is revealed to be a psycho.

 

As the trucks and the cars race for life, it doesn’t get over as you hope it to and gets nasty.

 

The thriller movie has some good on-road performances that make it worth watching.

 

 

9. The 24 Hour War (2016)

 

 

The documentary gives some very interesting perspectives on the Ford vs Ferrari story as it concentrates more on the people involved.

 

It’s the history of the growth of both companies, what all they had to sacrifice to finally reach their places.

 

The 1960 deal that went bad was the main triggering point of their racing story. the very informative documentary uses archival footage as well.

 

 

8. FERRARI: Race to Immortality (2017)

 

 

The 2017 documentary film is a journey through the archives of Lin Gallagher, Enzo Ferrari, Peter Collins, and Mike Hawthorn.

 

A treat for motor racing fans as it emphasizes motor racing and the formula one series.

 

These men lived their life on the road and for the tracks and the story is told through their archival eyes all the way making it a brilliant execution.

 

 

7. Hitch-hike (1977)

 

 

This is the kind of movie in which you think you know how it ends, but the entire opposite happens.

 

When a bickering couple gives a ride to a hitchhiker little did, they know that they are in the company of a sadistic escapee from an institution for the criminally insane.

 

As the plot drastically escalates from then, there are some narrow escapes, shootings, and an insane climax.

 

Most of the movie takes place on the road and it's only fair to end on one too.

 

 

6. Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974)

 

 

 

Driver Larry Rayder and his mechanic Deke Sommers are on the run after a supermarket heist.

 

Mary Coombs Larry’s one-night stand also convinces them to take her with them in their souped-up 1966 Chevrolet Impala.

 

When they are chased by the police they change into a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T 440 and the police cannot keep up with them.

 

Being cunning minds, they escape right out of the police’s eyes but right into something no one anticipated was coming.

 

The car chase flick has some really cast that made it work as well

 

 

5. Thunder Road (1958)

 

 

 

The black-and-white drama crime film though little known is partly the real history of NASCAR.

 

The original racers worked for the moonshiners though the connection wasn’t used in the movie.

 

Robert Mitchum plays a moonshiner, passing illegal liquor past federal authorities. But when his opponent ratio increases also to a mob that wants sole control of the business, things don’t happen that easily.

 

It’s a deadly race, that makes it all worth watching.

 

 

4. Senna (2010)

 

 

The documentary film is a journey through the life and death of Brazilian motor-racing champion Ayrton Senna.

 

The film mainly relies on the archives from the events and also the footage from the family.

 

The film mainly traces his racing career in formula one, his debut in the 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix, and the final tragic incident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

 

The movie succeeded in itself within the limitations to tell a story of a man, his politics, and the endearing journey he went through making it a remarkable experience making it different from all the usual sports documentaries.

 

 

3. Grand Prix (1966)

 

 

 

The sports drama film won several Technical Oscars in 1967. The film comprises several members from the European racing circuit including cameo appearances from Formula-one racers and champions Phil Hill, Graham Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt, and Jack Brabham.

 

Through a fictionalized version of the 1966 Formula One season it follows three formula-one drivers and their lives that revolve around the races.

 

Though the plot won't be appealing to many, the racing is a spectacular show worth watching.

 

 

2. Duel (1971)

 

 

Steven Spielberg’s American action film is among his initial movies that became widely noticed not for his fame but the brilliance of the movie alone.

 

There are two versions of the movie one that was for tv and the one that was later released all over Europe.

 

A man is on a business trip on a lonely road in the west and when one truck starts playing the cat-and-mouse game with him, things start getting ugly.

 

The truck backs on to him several times, and after nearly so many near-to-death experiences, unlikely to any of us the man keeps on getting in the car.

 

And to see what the one-man army can do against one big scary truck go find the masterpiece.

 

 

1. Ford v Ferrari (2019)

 

 

 

The American sports drama film portrays a group of determined engineers and designers behind the Ford GT40 and the story behind the need for their creation.

 

Ford has been facing some struggles in sales and wants to buy Ferrari. While Ferrari rejects and humiliates a proposed deal with Ferrari, it becomes a prestige issue for Ford to build a car to defeat Ferrari in the Le Mans.

 

Carrol Shelby a former Le Man's winner who was forced to retire because of a heart condition is hired for the same.

 

He in turn also hires his friend Ken Miles a struggling mechanic and British racer.

 

And then there ensues some very new models and some enthralling races. Matt Damon and Christian Bale were brilliant in their respective roles.

 

The movie is a must-watch for all racing genre lovers.