I’ve always been a huge Steve McQueen fan. I love the film Le Mans and I share his passion for moto cross bikes – if you haven’t seen the documentary he made about bikes, “On any Sunday”, treat yourself, it’s magnificent.
One of my proudest possessions is a TAG Heuer Monaco watch in the Gulf colours of the Porsche car which McQueen races in the film. You get the idea…
Anyway, someone at TAG Heuer has had the idea of putting Lewis Hamilton into a clip with McQueen from the film and I saw it today for the first time. The dubbing is a bit odd and it’s a shame that Lewis doesn’t say, “Steve, be careful out there”.. as his rival Eric Stahler does on this scene in the movie.
It’s also a shame that McQueen doesn’t flick the V sign to Hamilton, which he does ilater n the movie to Stahler. But it’s a fun and creative piece. And it seems to be part one of a series.
One of the things I like most about this piece is that it happened at all. Think about it – this features a Porsche, not a Mercedes and Gulf oil, not Mobil (McLaren’s oil partner). I like the fact that the team feel they can relax a bit on the corporate side and just tell a story. Hell, Lewis doesn’t even get top billing…
Check it out and see what you think.
The part at 1.00 minute where Steve is putting on his helmet and looks back at Hamilton, thats fantastic.
Agreed.
For that part alone, it is absolute class.
Still, I think from the acting we can assume that any aspirations Lewis had of becoming the next Will Smith are fairly far fetched.
Looks like fun. Although I would have preferred it in the style of Italian Spiderman. 😀
given the state of the mclaren atm, I’m gonna reckon McQueen will win this one.
I don’t think Lewis’ McLaren would be a patch on that McQueen’s Porsche there… The way he’s complaining about it at the moment…
Lewis @ La Sarthe… Would he have a go!?! And would it be in a racing version of anything McLaren Automotive may be putting out in the near future!?!
It’s almost embarrassing to watch.
Why is it that none of these multizillionaire racecar drivers can manage to get a decent haircut?
Helmet hair!
It was the era of long hair, remember Jackie Stewart, James Hunt etc. I seem to remember that Derek Bell (a very nice chap) had long hair too. A lot of the BTCC drivers used to make up the numbers in the 24 Heurs there being 3 drivers per car.
That’s rather mediocre video production. I concede that on a certain level this video was “cute”, but there’s more to life than “cute”.
Steve McQueen came from humble beginnings to become a classy and iconic film star. But he never forgot where he came from, and he used to regularly visit the reform school where he spent time as a boy after he was one of the most famous film stars in the world. That is class, and money can’t buy it.
Comparing Hamilton to McQueen is a travesty. If we were all standing in a bar ( UK = pub) right now I’d be using more colorful language, but I’m refraining now because children may read this blog. For anyone who might think I am specifically opposed to Hamilton, I’ll say that M. Schumacher didn’t earn the right to be compared to McQueen either. Jim Clark, Sir Stirling Moss, Graham Hill, Mike Hailwood – those are the sort of men who merit comparison with McQueen.
Shame on you, TAG-Heuer.
Censor my post if you feel the need, James, but because Steve McQueen was one of my childhood heroes, I had to speak out. I enjoy and respect this blog, it is the behavior of TAG-Heuer I find repulsive. By the way, I didn’t like the Ford ad which used McQueen either.
mmm a bit wacky id say, but fun. I can see what they’re trying to do. Its should get alot of people signing up to there site to find out what happens!
Brilliant, gotta watch the original film again now!
Apparently it was a nightmare to make with the language barrier getting in the way big time. 4 different languages between the director the stunt man the camera man and the actors. There was a Parkinson show where the whole thing was described, the bit after James Garner had gone in the harbour and was waiting soaking wet, getting progressively angrier as the rounds of interpretation went on.
The on track part though was a little ridiculous as the Porshe should have left the F1 car a good few hundred yards behind down the straight. More power and no drag!
But very entertaining nonetheless.
They should start showing Le Mans every holiday instead of The Great Escape!
you’re thinking of Grand Prix, when James Garner crashes into the harbour front at monaco!
Of course you are right, I stand corrected, but cannot separate the two films in my head. (I get a lot of problems with my head! ;-))
Nurse, its happening again!!!!
James Garner = Grand Prix, although you’re right they do tend to blend into one another in the imagination.
anyhoo … Gulf are currently sponsoring the Aston Martin LM cars,
just imagine some sort of Dave Richards / ProDrive / Aston F1 car painted up in the baby-blue and orange livery, all dirty, coming out the spa mist and rain, hell, it might even be just-about worth letting Mosley have his crazy budget cap for a year if we got to look at that for a wee bit.
Lewis is about as good an actor as Graham Hill was in Grand Prix = rubbish.
Get Lewis to drive at Le Mans – now THAT would be interesting !
I thought the piece was cheesy and odd – typical of Lewis’s bad PR management and why so many people dislike him.
Shame really, I think it might have worked if it wasn’t Lewis…
That is amazing! Sends tingles down my spine. I love Steve McQueen and the film.
Brilliant!
I think this is enormous fun. Got to be better for Lewis than hanging from a wire in Turkey (like a Turkey?)
That ‘advert’ in a word James is Sacrilege.
Its not a good film, but is possibly the ultimate Car Porn
Corny ending btw, McQueen closes down about 30secs in one lap on Stahler…
If you enjoy Le Mans movies, the best documentary about modern racing I’ve seen racing is Truth In 24 about Audi’s 2008 win.
Will be interesting to see how it is continued…
Dreadful…
Here in America we would call that Cheesy!
Loved it. More please
If you want to watch a few more ‘F1’ ads check this out: http://www.f1buzz.net/2009/04/28/five-best-formula-one-adverts/
[…] Lewis Hamilton in Le Mans I’ve always been a huge Steve McQueen fan. I love the film Le Mans and I share his passion for moto cross bikes […] […]
I could be really naught here and comment about Lewis’s acting.
He was only saying what he was told to say, but not with any conviction. (pardon the inverted pun with pike and twist)