"1" Documentary to Premiere During F1 Week in Austin

A new, properly dubbed "action documentary" will be screened at a special presentation at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas on November 15. Presented by SXSW and Circuit of The Americas, the debut of "1" will take place on the eve of the first Formula 1 events in Austin.

The film tells the tale of the dangerous and fast times of the 1960s and '70s, a period of racing where man and machine fought tirelessly on track.  As technical improvements yielded considerably faster cars, the scales tipped as speed out paced driver safety. At an alarming rate, talented drivers began to lose their lives as control of these magnificent machines became more difficult with each race.

Known as the golden age of F1, the '60s and '70s defined the character of the sport: a battle of man and machine taking place at the world's most exotic locations, encircled by the most glamorous and elite personalities. With the dangerous nature of the sport came incredible stories of triumph and failure, turning drivers into icons of sport as the capacity of human performance was tested each race.

To capture the essence of this period, the film includes rare archival footage and first hand accounts from an incredible collection of guests such as Bernie Ecclestone, Max Mosley and Prof. Sid Watkins, along with 12 F1 world champions including Niki Lauda, Sir Jackie Stewart, John Surtees, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jody Scheckter, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel.

The premiere of "1" kicks off with a special red carpet arrival of world champion drivers and several special guests from the F1 community. Held at Austin's iconic Paramount Theater on Congress Avenue, the premiere will further ignite excitement for the return of the United States Grand Prix after a five year absence.

Tickets for the premiere are available for purchase from the Paramount Theater: 

Click Here To Buy Your Tickets to See "1"

For more details and to join the growing conversation about the film on Facebook or Twitter, be sure to like their page and use the hashtag #1thefilm as details about the full release schedule slated for Spring 2013.  

// Contest Alert

We're very excited to offer you this chance to see the new "1" feature documentary! The Austin Grand Prix is giving away 10 tickets to see "1" at the Paramount Theater for the premiere event.  Here's how you can win one of 5 pairs of tickets:

1. In the comments below, tell us who some of your favorite F1 drivers and personalities are from this Golden Age.

2. "Like" our post about "1" on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/AustinGrandPrix 

3. Retweet our Tweet about "1" on Twitter: Twitter.com/AustinGrandPrix. Use the hashtag #1thefilm!

4. "Like" our related photo on Instagram: Instagram.com/AustinGrandPrix

Any of the methods will get you an entry. Winners will be drawn at random on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Winners will be notified in the manner that they enter the contest and if the winner does not claim the tickets by 9AM CT Thursday, Nov. 15, they will be given away to another entrant. Winner responsible for all other taxes and fees, if any, associated with the ticket giveaway.

Bob Varsha of SPEED TV at COTA Opening Ceremony

Last week we shared Mario Andretti's first laps at Circuit of The Americas' opening ceremony and then side-by-side comparisons of Andretti and Lotus F1 Team Reserve Driver, Jérôme d'Ambrosio, testing the new track.

After interviewing Andretti we spoke to Bob Varsha, the host of Formula 1 coverage in America, which is currently broadcast on SPEED TV. A few weeks ago we learned that NBC has picked up the F1 television rights for America and the SPEED network will no longer be providing F1 coverage.

Since first getting satellite cable in 2000, 99% of my Formula 1 experience has been through TV, and SPEED's coverage has taken me through the the last twelve years of the sport.  From the height of Michael Schumacher at Ferrari, to the rising stars of Alonso, Hamilton, Räikkönen and more, SPEED has been a necessary household expense and I've enjoyed watching their coverage evolve over the years.

You may recall we spoke with Bob after the COTA naming ceremony in April 2011. It was a pleasure to speak with him again and hear his perspective of the track, especially after he had a chance to ride it for the first time.

Bob Varsha Talks COTA from The Austin Grand Prix on Vimeo.

As mentioned in the video, we'd like to thank SPEED TV for their F1 coverage the past 17 years. Thank you and we hope to see you on NBC!