‘The Seat’: A must watch for F1 fans

Written by Alejandra Guajardo Lozano, Edited by Meghana Sree

Credit: Formula One

The Seat follows rookie Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli’s big step into the top category of motorsport, Formula One. Directed by Kyle Thrash and sponsored by WhatsApp, the documentary traces the journey Mercedes undertook while picking 17-year-old Antonelli to replace their former driver and seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton. 

The documentary starts by showing the German manufacturer facing the crucial task of finding a driver to fill in their then empty seat. The team debates between drivers like Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon but there’s another choice that advisor Gwen Lagrue suggested, putting Antonelli’s name on the table through a WhatsApp text.

The documentary shows Antonelli’s live reaction to the news of getting a seat in F1, as well as his dad’s. With this news, the young Italian driver now needs to face the expectations of stepping into F1, but luckily he has the support of his family and Hamilton’s former race engineer, Peter Bonnington.

Bonnington, or Bono as he’s fondly called, is a huge figure of support for the Italian driver. Having the experience of working with Michael Schumacher and Hamilton, he serves as a guide for the 17-year-old as his new race engineer.

“What’s it gonna be [like] working with a young driver? The thing is I don’t know,” Bono admits to himself. 

“Kimi doesn’t even have his driver’s license yet. So, it’s a different kind of pressure because there’s a lot of expectation on such a young guy, super talented, but he’s not proven yet.” He adds: “But that’s my job to prove him out and make sure that we can turn him into another world champion.”

Credit: Formula One

While Antonelli earned his spot in the sport, we see him face challenges like a failed pit stop practice where a mechanic was injured. This makes the young driver feel guilty but luckily is laughed off by the mechanic who understands it was a simple mistake. Sequences like this show the humanity of F1 drivers, especially Antonelli who is still so young and has a lot to learn.

The hardest challenge comes during Monza’s first Free Practice session in 2024. The Italian driver was visibly under a lot of pressure, as he was getting into an F1 car in his home country. We follow the practice session which was going well until he suffers a dramatic crash at the Parabolica.

In the documentary Antonelli admits: “I cried as well. I didn’t want to see anyone. I just wanted to go home, to be honest.”

This vulnerable moment shows how much pressure was and still is on the young driver. We see his parents supporting him through this tough moment as well as Mercedes. Bradley Lord, the team’s chief communication officer, reassures Antonelli, telling him to get a good night's sleep before he will be announced to the press as Mercedes’ official driver for 2025.

The documentary is short but so is Antonelli’s F1 career thus far, which makes it the perfect length as it goes straight to the point – the young driver’s undeniable talent and his hopes to prove himself in the most elite category of motorsports. 

While it showcases him as a rising talent and future star, it also shows the human side of the now 18-year-old. It shows his connection with his family, especially his father who introduced him to motorsport, and their unconditional support. It also proves how the team backs him up even during his toughest times, highlighting that a team’s support is vital for a driver’s success and confidence. 

The Seat is a must-watch for F1 fans: it is short but full of emotions and shows the beginnings of a promising talent and possible future World Champion.

The Seat is now available to watch on Netflix.