What to watch while F1 is not on TV

We may have reached a new year but there remains a two-month wait until the lights go out in Bahrain to kick off a new F1 season.

So while we sit tight in anticipation over whether anyone can bridge the gap to Max Verstappen and Red Bull, RacingNews365.com takes a look at what can fill the motorsport void before the first round of the season.

Dakar Rally

For those looking for live racing action, the Dakar Rally gets underway this week [January 5] in Saudi Arabia.

The very best in the world of rally raids will compete for the illustrious prizes on offer in the Middle Eastern Kingdom across a number of gruelling stages, with coverage in Europe taken on by Eurosport. The United States' coverage is provided by Peacock, whilst Red Bull TV will host worldwide pictures.

Nasser Al Attiyah emerged victorious over Sebastien Loeb last year.

Daytona

Two big events come at Daytona before a wheel is turned on the opening weekend of the F1 season.

First up is the Daytona 24 Hours, which will see a number of former F1 drivers team up - and take on - a host of American racing legends and sportscar superstars.

That comes on January 27 before NASCAR arrives the following month for its showcase event - the Daytona 500 - on February 19.

The high-octane stock car event will crown its latest winner on February 19, unless the weather plays its part.

Rush

Away from reality, there are a number of films and TV series to dig your teeth into in the break.

Rush depicts the story of the 1976 F1 title battle between eventual victor James Hunt and Niki Lauda, who fought back against all odds from a terrifying crash at the Nurburgring.

Whilst the film, directed by Ron Howard, has been available for some time on streaming services, the BBC will show the film at 23:45 on Sunday [January 7] in the United Kingdom.

Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story

Keanu Reeves spearheads this four-part series on Disney+ which highlights the fairytale story of Jenson Button's 2009 World Championship-winning campaign.

After Honda pulled out of the sport unexpectedly at the end of the 2008 season, many of the employees believed they were redundant, only for Ross Brawn to hatch a recovery plan.

Brawn GP turned up at the opening race of the season well ahead of the competition and, despite Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel's best efforts, held on for a stunning double championship, courtesy of Button and Rubens Barrichello.

Gran Turismo

A film based on a video game finally reaches motorsport as the story of Jann Mardenborough takes the spotlight.

Mardenborough was the high-profile winner of the GT Academy, winning an opportunity to drive for Nissan through the PlayStation game.

He would eventually drive at Le Mans, though his path was far from straightforward. The film is available to buy or rent on numerous streaming services.

Ferrari

Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz headline the cast for the movie that follows the story of Ferrari's founding father, Enzo, as bankruptcy threatened in 1957.

Directed by Michael Mann, the film delves into some of the most critical stages of the Prancing Horse's heritage.

You can see the film in cinemas now.

Drive to Survive Season Six

Netflix's hit fly-on-the-wall docuseries Drive to Survive returns for its sixth season as fans old and new get a taste of what goes on behind the scenes in the paddock.

No release date has been confirmed as of yet, though previous years would dictate a likely release during pre-season testing, one week before the first race of the season in Bahrain.