2020 will go down the lanes of history as the year of great crisis for humanity due to the coronavirus pandemic. The same can be said for the world of motorsport, with dozens of F1 races standing cancelled as of this moment. However, pioneers of F1 and veterans from the field of cinematography have joined hands to recreate an iconic film. This Sunday morning, when the Monaco Grand Prix was scheduled to take place, but stands suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic, Ferrari and French film director Claude Lelouch will shoot the remake of the iconic 1976 short film ‘Cétait un rendez-vous’.
The last time the Monaco GP didn’t take place was in 1954. So, the cancellation of the 2020 Monaco GP is indeed significant. However, this unfortunate event has been transformed into an opportunity by Ferrari and filmmaker Claude Lelouch. The director is set to shoot the remake tomorrow morning on the very streets of Monte Carlo with the protagonists being Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1’s young talent Charles Leclerc driving Ferrari’s latest hypercar, the SF90 Stradale. The short film will evoke the atmosphere of the beloved Monaco GP and the roar of the Ferrari 275 GTB, with the latter providing the instantly recognizable soundtrack to the 1976 film that was shot in Paris.
The Ferrari SF90 Stradale is the first ever plug-in hybrid to come out of Maranello. Ferrari's 4-litre twin-turbo V8 now comes in its highest state of tune, producing 769hp and 800Nm. ICE power is supplemented by three electric motors, two individual ones on the front axle and one at the rear, producing 217hp. Combined output stands at 986hp and 800Nm with power being sent to all four wheels through a new eight-speed dual clutch transmission. The on-paper figures are astonishing, with the SF90 Stradale sprinting to a 100kmph in 2.5 seconds and breaking the 200kmph barrier in just 6.7 seconds. That said, the hyper hybrid’s name refers to the 90th anniversary of Scuderia Ferrari that was celebrated last year, and exemplifies the technology transfer between Ferrari road and track cars.
In the original 1976 film, Charles Lelouch had used a Mercedes-Benz 350 SL to shoot and then added the soundtrack of the Ferrari 275 GTB in post-production. The 350 SL was chosen for its hydro-pneumatic suspension that aided in stability of the bumper mounted gyroscopic camera on the cobbled streets of Paris. Additionally, there were speculations that an F1 racer drove the car, but later news surfaced that the director himself was behind the wheel. However, this time we're expecting Charles Leclerc behind the wheel of an actual Ferrari, as promised. With modern technologies at disposal expect the film to come out much more crisp, clear and aurally thrilling with the sound of the SF90’s V8 echoing through the streets of Monaco.
This is also the first post lockdown French film shoot, symbolising the gradual return to the ‘new normal’ and the restart of the film industry. For Ferrari, the film is an expression of hope that the world will gradually recover from this crisis and also the Italian marque’s way of exciting its fans and clientele in different ways. The remake will probably take some time to get released so for now, watch the original 1976 film here.