In 2013, OMP’s notoriety once again transcended the boundaries of motorsport. In September, the eagerly awaited Formula 1 movie “Rush” was released in cinemas. The plot was focused on the rivalry between Niki Lauda and James Hunt during the 1976 season, marked by the terrible crash suffered by the Austrian driver during the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring track. The campaign culminated in the title won by his British rival at the last race in Japan. In the middle, Rush portrayed Lauda’s incredible return to racing 42 days after the fire in which he was trapped. The movie was directed by Ron Howard, who was already behind the making of the famous “Apollo 13” and “The Da Vinci Code”.
The producers left nothing to casualty and wanted every detail to be perfect, including the racewear. OMP was chosen as the sole supplier to recreate all the suits the F1 heroes were wearing in 1976. The drivers’ list included Lauda and Hunt, of course, but also Clay Regazzoni, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ronnie Peterson, Jacques Laffitte, Jody Scheckter, Arturo Merzario, Vittorio Brambilla, and many more.
OMP started with a deep documentation work, by analyzing the 1976 photos to understand how to make the most faithful replicas. The office tables in Ronco Scrivia were full of sketches and drawings for weeks. In the end, OMP manufactured a total of 80 custom suits. It was like taking a journey through time, with the only difference the items were homologated according to current standards, to guarantee maximum safety during the on-track filming.
This huge effort was repaid by an unprecedented showcase. “Rush” became a box office success, with over $90 million of tickets sold, immediately surging to cult movie status for the enthusiasts and casual viewers. The OMP brand was well-visible in the official poster which portrayed Daniel Bruhl e Chris Hemsworth, the actors that played Lauda and Hunt, and in the majority of the movie’s shots as well.