Formula 1 documentary 'Weekend of a Champion' opens in New York City

The Formula 1 documentary Weekend of a Champion starring Sir Jackie Stewart and Roman Polanski opened to limited release in New York City today.

If you have a chance to see this, I highly recommend it. The film offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at a Formula 1 race during the 1971 Monaco Grand Prix, a time-capsule documentary if there ever was one. Did you know that once upon a time spectators could literally touch the cars from the sidewalk if they wanted to? It was really dangerous! The essence of the times really captured beautifully by a young Roman Polanski with his friend Sir Jackie Stewart.

I don't think it's even possible to make a film like this now with the biggest sports stars of our times more concerned about controling their image in the media for marketing purposes than anything else. Sir Jackie Stewart just laid it all out, not caring in the world that the cameras were rolling. It was a different era then. I'm very happy Roman Polaski got inspired to make this.

Roman Polanski said that it was a different time then when he made this film, "people were friendlier," he said.

Weekend of a Champion is playing at IFC and Lincoln Center

Produced by Roman Polanski, WEEKEND OF A CHAMPION was a sidebar project made by the legendary filmmaker between Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown—an all-access portrait of three-time Formula 1 racing champ Jackie Stewart at the peak of his career and of the sport at the height of its glamour. Long unseen, Polanski’s you-are-there documentary has now been meticulously restored, with a newly filmed epilogue that reunites the filmmaker and subject to reflect upon their high-octane pasts.

ABOUT SIR JACKIE STEWART:

Known as the "Flying Scot," Sir Jackie Stewart's passion for motor racing drove him to become one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, winning three World Drivers' Championships and Sports Illustrated Magazine's 1973 "Sportsman of the Year" award, the only auto racer to win the title. The same year, Jackie also won BBC's "Sports Personality of the Year" award and was named as ABC's "Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year".

This was all before excelling at a new career in broadcasting, covering NASCAR races and the Indianapolis 500 in conjunction with also becoming a consultant for Ford Motor Company and continuing to be a spokesman for safer cars and circuits in Formula One.

In 1990, Jackie was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and was honored with his knighthood in 2001.