F1 Display opens at the Lighthouse Artspace close to Toronto’s waterfront, in association with immersive experiences construction company Round Room Live. It is constructed as a revolutionary display that gives enthusiasts an exclusive look at the sport’s greatest stories. It is been a very well-received show, said show curator Tim Harvey. We have had a lot of critical acclaim and very positive reviews and I think enthusiasts love the authentic approach that we’ve taken.
The 20,000-square-foot area features six specifically designed rooms with pieces from 1887 to 2023. Eight Formula 1 clubs contributed to the display, which displayed 39 past winners’ titles, 97 helmets, 5 race suits, and 4 F1 race cars. Consideration of detail was significant for show curators, who say every item from the catch fences lining the walls to the red and white lights on the floor is planned.
It is been 5 years in the making, Harvey said. There has been a vast amount of energy and time. We were required to generate a show that transported you onto the floor of the sport. The F1 Exhibition has previously debuted in Vienna and Madrid, but Toronto was exclusively selected as the first North American city to host to the experience.
A lot of the stories that are presented in the display take back to some of the great races that have occurred in Montreal and Ontario before that, said Harvey. The city also plays host to IndyCar race every summer that speeds down the Lakeshore. It is that history that creator Jonathan Linden says makes Toronto the perfect location for F1’s development in North America.
A special room in the display is dedicated to Romain Grosjean’s harrowing 2019 crash in Bahrain, which nearly split his car in half and immersed in a big fireball. The crash left Grosjean with severe burns and almost took his life. The history of Formula 1 is distinct from other sports, said Harvey. There is a real danger to it. It is a rivalry that forces its contenders to the very edge, and it has not always had a happy ending. When we initially opened up that stillage to disclose the remnants of that crash, it was spine-tingling then and it is still spine-tingling now, he said.
