Financing a blockbuster movie is one of the few commercial ventures that’s typically more expensive than running a Formula 1 team. It would seem ludicrous that anyone would make an F1 movie for less than cost of a modern F1 car’s steering wheel. An independent filmmaker in Bulgaria decided to keep costs down on his Michael Schumacher passion project by building a replica of a Jordan 191, using only a 1:24 scale model as a reference.
Lubo Marinov started with only €15,000, or roughly $17,650, to produce and direct “The Kaiser.” He also wanted a physical car for his actors to interact with during scenes. With such a tight budget, Marinov had to devise a cheap way to reproduce an early ’90s F1 car. Alongside his jeweler father, they measured every panel on the model and multiplied the figures by 24 to restore it to full scale. However, it wasn’t a one-and-done affair after receiving their laser-cut set of plywood pieces. Their measurements weren’t accurate enough once scaled up.
The end result is quite impressive after repeated trial and error. The nose, air intake and engine cover were meticulously crafted and clad in carbon fiber. The recreated cockpit featured a 3D-printed steering wheel covered in Alcantara. The tires were repurposed Formula 3 tires and repainted in period-accurate Goodyear decals.
The Kaiser focuses on Schumacher’s debut and early years in F1
Marinov released the trailer for “The Kaiser” earlier this month. The short film centers on Schumacher’s early seasons in F1, his unlikely 1991 debut as a Jordan substitute and his tenure at Benetton over the following years. The project stars a relatively unknown actor, Jivko Sirakov, as Michael Schumacher. Dimiter Marinov also appears as Eddie Jordan, the late F1 team owner and broadcast pundit. This Marinov is the short film’s best-known actor, appearing in the 2008 Oscar-winning film “Green Book” and currently portraying smuggler-turned-barkeep Ilya Breshov in Apple TV’s alternate-history sci-fi drama “For All Mankind.”
If you’re the kind of movie-goer who wants to see the sights, sound and spectacle of a real F1 car on the big screen, this short film isn’t for you. With its limitations, “The Kaiser” seemingly focuses on the personal journey of a German wunderkind being thrust onto the world stage. You’ll also have to accept that this is an independent Bulgarian production without the budget for a dialect coach, so Eddie Jordan doesn’t sound very Irish. It should be an interesting watch. If you want something more true to life, you can watch “Schumacher,” the Netflix documentary.
