Meet The Undercut
A new section of Formula Flash with a newsy twist
Say hello to The Undercut.
When I started Formula Flash, I was living in a windowless room inside a Brooklyn apartment working a corporate book publishing job. I’ve written, at length, about how motor racing was one of the few things I enjoyed during a time I dreaded stepping into the office. I’ve also previously written about how around five months ago I questioned where this newsletter was headed. I hadn’t seen race cars, from any series, in person when I started Formula Flash two years ago and I wasn’t working in motorsport journalism at the time. Now, what I write about on Substack feels at best like a creative outlet and at worst like it competes for my attention.
Don’t worry, I’m not disappearing. In fact, I’m expanding.
I’m adding a section on Formula Flash dedicated to a weekly newsletter (yes, actually weekly unlike my initial — often unfulfilled — promise to pump out a relevant “think piece” every seven days) titled The Undercut. This newsletter will round up the top storylines in racing with a fresh, critical and independent perspective through a few lenses you’ve likely become accustomed to however long you’ve been here: politics, business, pop culture and the environment.
Look out for a new edition every Monday, briefly unpacking everything from media rights deals and regulation changes to Lewis Hamilton’s fashion choices and race recaps.
An essay I wrote in December reached more people than I expected, meaning there are many new faces and emails here.
Are you one of those newbies? Welcome! I’m Olivia, a U.S.-based freelance sports and environmental journalist who writes for a number of Formula 1 racing and general publications. My simple pleasures include listening to UK (and Irish) rap, not using an Oxford comma and writing about cars going in circles. If you’re asking yourself “What the f*** is Formula 1?” have no fear, The Undercut will slice through the jargon and explain exactly why you should care about the sport.
I will continue to write longer reported features for paid subscribers on Formula Flash’s homepage with the occasional free essay.
If you are a Formula Flash subscriber, you will automatically receive emails from The Undercut every Monday.