Speed Racer

A profile of an aspiring F1 driver, a data-verse, and adventuring in the world's greatest museum.

Hi readers,

There is a lot going on in the world right now, so it's a treat to write about a nice young man with big dreams. Max Esterson is that nice young man, and he has had quite the ascent up to Formula 2, where he is now a driver for Trident Motorsport. But he doesn't want to linger in Formula 2. He has his eye on Formula 1, which may or may not work out, for reasons I explain in the below feature, which was the cover story for this month's Palm Beach Illustrated. Some insiders believe his chances are good though, so we'll see whether he winds up on Netflix's "Drive to Survive" someday. You never know.

Two races into the current F2 season, it's really too soon to say much about how things are going for Max. His father emailed me from Bahrain last weekend, where he was watching Max compete in the Grand Prix, and he said that his boy's doing a good job and gaining confidence and speed.

Keep in mind, top speed in those cars is about 210 miles per hour. So none of this is for anyone less than lion-hearted.

Beyond writing about a promising young driver, I wrote about how the racing world works. It's about more than "people drive fast and try to win." For example, there is a method to how these drivers move up the ranks, and that method starts when these drivers are super-young. But Max didn't approach the sport the way most other drivers do, and that context is one of the things that makes him super-interesting, and maybe even...gives him a slight edge on the track? Stories like this – understanding people, their motivations, and the world in which they operate – are why I love what I do, and I hope you'll enjoy the piece, which begins below and continues at the italicized link. Do click through! Because you'll get to see more of photographer Nick Mele's portraits of Max, taken at Miami International Autodrome, site of next month's Miami Grand Prix.

Vroom vroom!

Paige

Max Esterson is aiming to become America's next great Formula 1 racer. Will 2025 be the year he proves he's got what it takes?

A couple years ago, Trident Motorsport team manager and former racing star Giacomo Ricci was scouting new Formula 2 and 3 drivers when he heard about a late-blooming American kid named Max Esterson who drove like a seasoned speedster.

“In this sport, if you want to succeed at the top, you have to start at a super, super young age,” says Ricci. “There are some exceptions when a guy starts late. [Max] is naturally talented and so dedicated that he can catch up with the bunch. I don’t want to say it is easy, but by working extremely hard, they can get closer, and closer, and closer.”

Intrigued by what he had heard and read about Max, Ricci decided to see what this up-and-comer was made of. He arranged for Max to test drive a Formula 2 car, which is significantly faster and heavier than Formula 3 cars. Up until that point, Max had been racing Formula Fords in the British GB3 Championship—a smaller car that is a stepping stone to Formula 3.

“It was funny, because after the first run, I remember Max jumped out of the car and said, ‘Oh, this car is very quick,’” Ricci recalls with a grin. “But I could see in his eyes that he was not someone who was scared or thinking he couldn’t manage the car. What impressed me about him that day was his progression. He didn’t know the track or the car, but by the end of the day he was up to speed.”

When Ricci needed a new driver for the final two races of the 2024 Formula 2 season, he immediately thought of Max and brought him over to the Trident team. Now the 22-year-old part-time Palm Beacher is in a prime position to race his way into one of the hardest and most competitive spots in sports—a coveted seat in Formula 1, which only rarely boasts American drivers. As tantalizing as that idea may be, Max recognizes that there are very real challenges ahead...

For more on Esterson's truly unconventional journey into F2, and his chances at an F1 seat, please click here for the rest of my piece, which is in this month's Palm Beach Illustrated.

Writing prompt: How do you handle life when it comes at you fast?

If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride and never quit, you'll be a winner. The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards.

-- Bear Bryant

Ryoji Ikeda's data-verse

Speaking of things that come at you fast, this week I saw Ryoji Ikeda's first U.S. exhibit – data-verse – at the High Museum of Art. Ikeda is a composer and visual artist who uses light, massive amounts of open source data from places like NASA and the Human Genome Project, and sound to create immersive experiences for the viewer.

Ikeda said of his work: "I have learned that humans are tiny like dust particles in the universe, but at the same time we are miraculously precious. We humans should be more modest, because nature made us, and we are part of nature."

The images in the main data-verse room bombard you in the dark; they slow down, speed up, spin, shift, and shuffle to a soundtrack that does the same. It's a bit of an audiovisual rollercoaster ride, seemingly careening through flight paths, DNA sequences, brain MRIs, and so much more. It was wild, terrifying, peaceful, and then awe-inspiring and a little strange. You feel like you're in a soundbath. You feel like you're in a submarine. You feel like you're zooming at the speed of light. You feel like you need to hit the brakes. It's a lot, until it isn't.

I loved it, and think that if you're in the Atlanta area and have the time to see it, you might love it too. It'll be at the High until August 10, so go check it out!

Endnotes

What I'm reading: Outside of a forthcoming biography that I just blurbed, and longform features I'm judging for a contest, I'm enjoying former New York Times Paris bureau chief Elaine Sciolino's latest book Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World's Greatest Museum. Sciolino's book has been making me think about my first trip to the museum. I was about 19 years old and I had no clue that it was impossible to see the whole thing in one trip. But I was enthusiastic and in awe then, and have continued to be ever since. Someday I'd love to recreate the famous scene from "Funny Face" where Audrey Hepburn, clad in a strapless crimson Givenchy gown and long white gloves, zooms down the steps in front of "The Winged Victory of Samothrace" and implores Fred Astaire to take a picture.

What I'm listening to: The Clash's "London Calling" on vinyl. Also, my European/Formula racing correspondent Amber got me hooked on Formula 1 star Charles Le Clerc's Spotify channel, where he shares the piano music he composes and plays as a way to relax between races. I don't know why I was so surprised, but he's actually quite good. Like, cut an album already good. And, the "IMO" podcast with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson is an engaging general interest listen. Guests so far have included Issa Rae (on friendship), Keke Palmer (on disappointment being the key to success), and life coach Jay Shetty (on pursuing what you love before you pursue love). Is there anything you're listening to and loving right now? If so, hit reply and let me know what it is and why it's awesome!

Where I hope you'll donate this week: Earth Day is next Tuesday, April 22. Please consider a donation to Conservation International, which works with a variety of specialists around the world to protect nature. Why? Because it's good for us. Let's help them keep fighting this very good fight.

Know someone who might like this free weekly letter? Please let them know I'm here every Friday at noon and encourage them to subscribe. Thank you for your support!