Cappuccino Thoughts: On What I Learned About Sports Fandom at an F1 Race
+ a mini Montreal guide
Cappuccino Thoughts is a weekly newsletter about culture and creativity in New York.
I found myself standing, baking in a Canadian meadow. The smell of burnt rubber filled the air. Around me was a sea of vivid red, deep navy, and bright orange (sorry, papaya). The first car screamed by at a pace so fast, I couldn’t believe this was the warm-up lap and not even the race. The crowd roared and applauded thunderously, the adrenaline pulsing not just in the drivers, but also through the entire crowd. I thought to myself, how did I end up here? When did I become such a die-hard Formula 1 fan?
I’ve been on the record about never liking sports. Growing up, I didn’t like playing them and I certainly didn’t like watching them. Exercise was something I did only when compelled. And I still feel weird when I wear sneakers.
Imagine my surprise then when I became totally enraptured by the world of Formula 1. The irony is not lost on me that it’s this sport that I fell in love with, given that I got my own driver’s license earlier this year.
So what got me into F1?
A series of chance encounters. I had barely even heard of F1 before the summer of 2023. My parents watched the Netflix series Drive to Survive and all summer long my mother urged me to watch it. When a last-minute trip to Singapore came up, coinciding with Grand Prix weekend there, I bought tickets to the race as a bit of a fluke, and then started watching the show.
What the show does so well is tell you the stories and dynamics behind the scenes. Since there are only twenty drivers on the F1 grid (compare that to the size of just one football team), it’s easier to get to know each driver (parasocial much?) and to pick favorites and least favorites (ahem, George Russell).
What deepened the obsession?
I was at a book club that was randomly meeting in a private event space. When the event ended, the owner mentioned to us that another group was screening an F1 race a few floors up and we were welcome to watch if we wanted. The fashion book club → F1 watch party pipeline is diminishingly small, and I was the only one who went. There, a female-focused F1 podcast was hosting the event. On a lark, I downloaded an episode of its show. Immediately, I really liked how Paddock Project didn’t talk down to people who aren’t already experts.. And it is less technical and more focused on the business of the sport. It is now my favorite podcast.
Where am I now?
I’m on a plane back from Montreal, where I’ve just spent the weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix.
I understand more about sports fandom now. It makes you feel like you’re part of a special club when you talk about tire strategy or one versus two pit stops. It feels good to look around and see people wearing merch and know they’re part of your club. At the race, people weren’t divided by nationality or language (although I heard enough Canadian French this weekend for a lifetime)—they were grouped by the teams they supported.
I’ll still probably never drive more than 15 mph (or, better yet, never drive ever again). And I’ll still wish that George Russell didn’t win the race. But I have a newfound respect for sports fandom.
Mini Montreal guide:
We had one mega day to explore. Montreal is fairly large physically, but you can definitely cover the high points in a weekend. It’s an easy trip from New York City by plane. (Just 48 minutes of actual flight time!)
-We tried the famous Montreal bagels at Le Trou and they, uh….were not New York bagels. I’ll just leave it at that.
-After, we fueled up on coffee at Structure and Crew. Crew was particularly cool because it’s in a converted bank (sort of like Conwell Coffee in FiDi).
-We took a long walk down Boulevard Saint-Laurent, which was closed to vehicles for an art fair. We went to the boutique Scandale, which is randomly where I got my rehearsal dinner dress many years ago. Eva B is a super funky vintage shop/cafe with the cheapest coffee prices I’ve ever seen.
-On the knitting front (because, duh), I popped into Les Laines Biscottes, which was a more traditional yarn store, and Les Garcons, which was the sleekest knitting store I’ve ever seen.
-Avenue Mont-Royal was quite a cool street and I enjoyed the bookstores Libraire L’Echange and Bouquinerie du Plateau. I also got a pair of vintage sunglasses for CAD$30 at Les Folles Alliees.
-We had dinner at Cadet, which serves lovely little plates. It was the perfect light meal to end a very full day.
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Cappuccino Thoughts Getaway
Four days. One island. Countless thoughts.
This September, I’m partnering with Nautica Collective to host the very first Cappuccino Thoughts Cruise — a floating retreat around Mallorca for readers, writers, explorers, and anyone craving space to breathe.
From September 6–9, we’ll set sail on a private yacht with a full-time skipper and chef, exploring the island’s quiet coves and cliffside villages. Expect sun-warmed pages, swim stops, wine at sunset, and conversations that linger.
🛏 5 luxury cabins available
🍽️ All meals, drinks, and activities included
💸 Shared cabin: $2,495 | Solo: $4,595
Join me! The cava, olives, and your first cappuccino are waiting.
I trialed Instagram ads for the first time. I read an article saying that more fashion brands are investing in Instagram ads because the algorithm is getting better. Although I don’t love giving money to Meta, I wanted to try it for myself. No directly attributable sales came from the ads, though I saw a slight bump in followers on my bag’s IG account. For any other small business owners, I’m curious what digital ads tools you like. Let me know in the comments 👇
The majority of the crowd was wearing Ferrari gear, but McLaren definitely made a strong showing. None more so than this fella.
Three things I love, covet, or think are worth covering.
🎥The Materialists: Okay so this Celine Song film was not nearly as good as the director’s debut Past Lives. The themes were a bit heavy-handed as she an explored the dating market and the values people bring into a marriage. But hear me out: once a summer, I like to take myself out to a movie. It was 90 degrees outside, but the theater was beautifully air-conditioned. I brought my knitting and kicked back the theater chair and just enjoyed a little solo night.
🎧Shameless Podcast: When my beloved podcast A Thing or Two with Claire and Erica recently ended, the hosts recommended this Australian podcast as the closest comp. Reader, I love it! Its tagline is “the pop culture podcast for smart people who love dumb stuff.” This is how I wish more books were written —well-written, but about light topics. I actually don’t think the stuff they cover—mostly pop culture—is dumb, for what it’s worth. A good place to dive in would be its review of the movie The Materialists.
💄Saie Illuminator: I once was having lunch with an older friend/mentor and she wanted to pop by Sephora to grab a few things. She introduced me to this illuminating gel and how she wears it, and I’ve been using it ever since. On days when I don’t feel like putting on much makeup, I just dab on a bit of this for an extra glow.
In a move unintentionally coordinated with international events, I read a book about Iran. The Persians is sort of a Middle Eastern spin on Crazy Rich Asians, but with a lot more layers. It’s about a family splintered during the revolution, with most of the family leaving for America, while a grandmother and granddaughter stay behind. The story focuses on the family’s loss of status in both countries and how that impacts each family member as they try to get it back. It was also a deep exploration of family heritage and legacy and the mark it leaves on you. This book was a touch too raunchy for my taste and had a flavor of Elena Ferrante, where all the female characters who proclaim to love each other are actually awful to each other. Read it if you want a summer read that’s light but has some depth. 3.5 stars.
This week I am soaking up summer.
All my best,
