5 reasons you can’t miss the
Formula 1® Exhibition Toronto
The Formula 1® Exhibition has opened its doors in North America for the first time, bringing the exhilarating world of F1® to the Lighthouse ArtSpace Toronto until early summer.
It’s an immersive storytelling adventure across six specially curated rooms, and whether you’re a long-time F1® fan or new to the sport, you are guaranteed an unforgettable journey through the past, present, and future of Formula 1®.
Iconic F1® race cars, driving simulators, interactive elements, contributions from the biggest names in the sport… It’s hard to pick the top reasons to visit, but we’ve given it a go!
1. Historic and modern-day race cars
The exhibition features four F1® race cars from different eras, which are incredible to see up close.
The first room, ‘Once Upon a Time in Formula 1’, houses three of these cars, including the iconic yellow Lotus 99T driven by Ayrton Senna in 1987. To be in the presence of a car driven by one of the greatest F1® drivers ever is a rare and moving moment. Senna drove a 99T to eight podiums, including back-to-back wins in Monaco and Detroit.
Graham Hill’s 1962 BRM P578 also features in this room. Known as ‘Old Faithful’, she brought Graham his first World Driver’s Championship, and BRM the F1 Constructors World Championship. Also on show, a lovingly reconstructed Lancia 50 from 1955 – like that raced by two-time World Champion Alberto Ascari – takes you back to the early days of F1.
When visitors enter the ‘Design Lab’ they’ll find the Haas VF20 as driven by Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean in 2020. Incredibly, the engine cover has been removed allowing you to get a fascinating look at the powerhouse behind the car, the Ferrari Power Unit.
Remarkably, when you enter ‘Survival’ later in the show, you can see the remains of the VF20 from Romain’s dramatic crash in Bahrain. That brings us on to our second reason to visit…
2. Roman Grosjean’s burnt out Haas VF20 race car
There is no doubt this is a show-stopping part of the exhibition. Remnants of Romain Grosjean’s Haas from his 2020 crash in Bahrain sit in the centre of the ‘Survival’ room – a striking and poignant space illuminated by footage from the incident and exclusive interview content.
Most F1® fans know exactly where they were on the day of Romain’s crash, with people around the world on the edge of their seats, fearing the worst. Extraordinarily, Romain walked away after hitting the wall at 137mph, which caused his car to literally rip in half – a testament to the safety that’s designed into modern F1® racing.
While the Survival room shows previously unseen footage and interviews about the incident, it also importantly serves as a reflection on the safety innovations over the last 50 years of the sport.
3. Video content and audio guides
Incredibly, the curators of the exhibition interviewed over 100 key figures from across the world of motorsport, each bringing their own unique and unbiased perspectives to key moments in the sport. Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Pierre Gasly, Zak Brown, Adrian Newey, Ross Brawn and many others feature across the shows six rooms.
Combine these insights with unique access to F1® ‘s video archive and audio guides to bring it to all life, and it really does feel like you are on a journey through the key moments in the history of F1®.
4. Interactive elements
If you want to up the pace, jump into the racing simulators. You can experience what it’s like to get behind the wheel of an F1® car, and even challenge yourself to set the fastest lap. We recommend booking the sims in advance as they sell-out quickly.
The show features a range of interactive elements throughout. You can capture yourself on Lewis Hamilton’s helmet camera and discover how an F1® steering wheel functions with a brand-new interactive experience. Also new for Toronto is an interactive screen that allows you to take a Formula 1® car apart and take a closer look at the key elements.
5. A celebration of the Canadian Grand Prix
Canadian F1® fans will enjoy casting their minds back over some incredible moments at the Montreal Grand Prix in the ‘At Shutter Speed presented by TSN’ gallery. An exclusive area just for Toronto, F1® photographer Darren Heath has provided a selection of stunning photographs shot in Montreal from 2014-2019 which have been installed as huge visuals.
The Formula 1® Exhibition Toronto presented by TSN is open now at 1 Yonge Street.
Officially developed in association with Formula 1® and with unprecedented support from the motorsport community, the immersive show, spanning over 20,000 sq. ft., boasts a wide range of artifacts and contributions from the sport’s most legendary teams, experts, and personalities.
This is an experience you don’t want to miss! Get tickets now at F1Exhibition.ca.
