One of the biggest reasons we love sports is the feeling of doing our best. A marathon runner running with all his might is beautiful in itself. The way they do their best to challenge the limits looks even divine. Another reason watching sports games is so much fun is that you have a favorite team or player. You watch all their games, but are not interested in other teams’ games.
Why do we like certain sports teams? Because each team’s story is special. Knowing and watching the team’s history, rival composition, and players’ personalities and characteristics will give you a completely different level of fun. Motorsport is no exception. It’s nice to see a race car running nicely on the circuit, but we can focus even more when we see a race where cars and humans work together and get to know the situation or competition between the team and the racers.
Let’s say, for example, that after more than a hundred races, the moment has finally come when a racer is about to win first place in his career. If you’re watching this race with this story in mind, you’ll focus on every move of that player. Because you know the player’s situation, you can empathize with and support them.
So you can easily watch documentaries on motorsports abroad ‒ like Netflix’s Drive to Survive, which covers Formula 1 (F1). The production team closely covers all the teams and players every year, and at the end of the season, they create a story looking back on the year from each team’s point of view. Through this, viewers can learn various information, such as the economic crisis facing the team, the burden of the players, and the personality of the coach and players.
Hyundai Motor Company is also releasing a racing documentary on YouTube: HNF In‒depth, which tells the story of the [N1] Avante N Cup at the 2022 Hyundai N Festival (HNF). [N1] Avante N (Elantra N) Cup is the highest class in Hyundai N Festival. This is a single‒car race that uses only the high‒performance Avante N that has been modified for circuit races only, and the top drivers in Korea compete here.
Unlike Drive to Survive, HNF In‒depth quickly delivers the topic for each round of the current season. The video of the race and the interview with the racers give a new perspective on the race and raise the anticipation for the next round. And because this film also shows the feelings of players that are difficult to understand on the ground, even the stories of past races have something special. Those who know these various stories can naturally perceive race in a newer way. The overtakes and defenses of racers, which once looked skillful, now seem like a fierce battle between hot‒headed and cold‒hearted drivers.
The first episode, THE MATCH, illuminates the fierce competition between the most successful racing team, Solite Indigo Racing, and the new DCT Racing. Solite Indigo has maintained its reputation since its foundation in 1997. Not only are they systematic, but they also have know‒how in race management. Their goal, of course, is to win.
The DCT Racing, however, is exactly the opposite of Solite Indigo. The purpose of this debutant is to help sim drivers make their debut in actual races. Sim drivers need to win to prove they can do in actual races as well. So their goal is, obviously, to win Solite Indigo. The battle between the Goliath, who has to secure his throne, and the desperate rookie naturally builds tension.
The second episode, NO RACE FOR OLD BOY, depicts the competition and anguish of veterans who face tough young drivers. Motorsports, like any other sport, has newcomers every year ‒ and the ‘Old Boys’ have to give their best every moment to survive. But sometimes, they make fatal mistakes while bearing too much pressure.
In the second episode, Park Dong‒sup is a driver in his 12th year since his debut, and he is also the 10th player to join the ‘Century Club (a group of drivers who have completed 100 races)’ in the 35‒year history of Korean motorsports. Park Dong‒sup, who has won 26 titles, was once a rookie. The way rookies become veterans and do their best to take on the challenges of new youngsters is similar to our lives.
The third episode, ‘SPORTSMANSHIP,’ talks about sportsmanship through an accident that happened during a race. Won‒il Lee of the Motor Bus racing team is known for driving excessively. But, he says, “the driver is just trying to win the race, and racing is all about obeying the rules and doing your best.” On the other hand, Jae‒in Kwon of the One Racing team is known for driving really well but being too soft. Two players with different personalities show that there is no right answer to sportsmanship.
This season’s [N1] Avante N Cup 3rd round was fiercer than ever. The impact of the accident at the beginning was so great that eight cars failed to finish. Racers want to avoid accidents the most, but they can happen at any time. But when drivers overtake each other, even the tiniest mistake can cause an accident. Moreover, accidents in motorsport are decisive issues that affect race outcomes; When the car breaks down, the driver can no longer drive.
Kim Jin‒soo of Solite Indigo Racing performed well in qualifying and started Round 3 in second place, but then he blew away this opportunity after colliding with Kim Gyu‒min of DCT Racing. A win was essential for him, and now his chances of winning the season are slim to none. How can a racer overcome this difficulty as a human being in this situation?
The documentary HNF In‒depth, capturing every moment of the Hyundai N Festival [N1] Avante N Cup, reveals the inner conflict of the racer. We could hear the voices of the team and the drivers hidden behind, creating a new story for each round.
Their story is not over yet; Hyundai N Festival Round 5 will be held at Inje Speedium from September 23 to 25, while a double round, including Round 6 and 7, will be held from October 28 to 30 at the Korea International Circuit Track in Yeongam. ‒ And HNF In‒depth will be with them. Watching HNF In‒depth is probably a great way to spend the weekend. Once you get close to the racers and know what they feel, the Hyundai N Festival will look a lot different.
HMG Journal Operation Team
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