God and Formula 1

A look into the spirituality (spiritual beliefs) of some Grand Prix drivers: “If you have God on your side, everything becomes clear.” - Ayrton Senna

GOD AND FORMULA ONE: 'BEYOND THE ZONE'

("the fastest book in the world"...but that's another story!)

A look into the spirituality of Grand Prix drivers, their “religious” beliefs - what faith means to them and what part it plays in their successes, their failures… and in their lives.

“If you have God on your side, everything becomes clear.”

- Ayrton Senna "

"There are only three sports: bullfighting, mountain climbing and motor racing; all the rest are merely games."

- Ernest Hemingway

"I am able to experience God's presence on earth. If I go to church, I go on my own and I like to be there alone. I find more peace that way."

- Ayrton Senna *

From 'The Death of Ayrton Senna' by Richard Williams

"Ayrton has a small problem. He thinks he can't kill himself, because he believes in God... and I think that's very dangerous for the other drivers."

- Alain Prost on his great rival, Ayrton Senna from 'FORMULA 1: The Autobiography'

Thanks for the great gift, dearest dad.

“I see the human being is an incredible machine, totally undiscovered in many ways. Every one of us has a hidden tank of energy that comes out when it is needed.”

- Alex Zanardi (former F1 and Indycar driver, who lost both legs in a horrific accident in Germany in 2001)

The Glory of God in Formula One Racing (see Vimeo and Youtube)

"The Zone could simply be a gateway to the divine, one of God's methods of reminding us of His - and our- glorious power. Omnipresence means that power must be everywhere, everytime. Including the racetracks. Including today."

- fine and powerful writing by Clyde Brolin in his great (and fascinating to "us fellow petrol-heads") book ‘Overdrive; Formula One in the Zone’ - a book that I've been studying and researching for many years, a "true labour of love"

“Grand Prix racing is primarily a mental contest… it’s a battle of strength of wills by the combatants and a magnificent contest, the arena to display and share unique gifts and talents. Perhaps in this ‘theatre of speed’, F1 is a metaphor for life itself.”

- craig

"The greatest mountain we need to climb lies in our own minds". It's not the highest mountain that we conquer, but ourselves, our own mentality. Overcoming perceived limits to reach (attain) the pinnacle of our own minds."

- craig (as inspired by the words of Sir Edmund Hillary, conquerer of Mount Everest (1919-2008)

Author's Note

I've been fascinated by the overlap between the human mind and spirituality for over two decades... and the Ultimate Source, God I feel is "leading" me to write and share this manuscript, yet another "true labour of love" ("Crazy" or perhaps not!!!). At least I believe so … but then perhaps it’s just me and my intuition/will/choice. We’ll see! No matter, so better start writing then… or as my dear mother used to say “get cracking/weaving”…

“totally impulsive” craig

25th October in the year 2011

"Aim at heaven and you'll have earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you'll hit neither."

- CS Lewis, English poet, essayist and novelist

“Whenever (or perhaps rather ‘ if ever’) you arrive in heaven, let faith, hope and love be the wings that carried you there.”

- craig (as adapted from the words of Jonathan Edwards, a former minister in Massachusetts (New England)

“The Greatest Race: Living by (with) faith, hope and love is the highest podium any person can reach, God’s podium that anyone stand on.”

“Having pursued the goals, the dreams set before us and run the race with persistence and endurance, after giving it all. Then one day standing on the summit of life, breathing in the pure sweet oxygen of achievement, totally satisfied in running the greatest race, the race of life one that ANYONE can run and win.”

– c