HBO’s ‘The Lionheart’ about Dan Wheldon and family is one of the most powerful sports documentaries in years

Following in your father’s footsteps is difficult enough. What the sons of the late Dan Wheldon are attempting is uniquely courageous. 

We’ve never seen a sports documentary quite like The Lionheart. Director Laura Brownson has crafted a rare portrait. This feature from HBO provides us with an inside look at a family’s grief that is so intimate and so moving. You simultaneously can’t look away from it, and at times, it’s difficult to watch because of the gravity of the circumstances. 

Wheldon, a two-time Indianapolis 500 champion, died in a 2011 multi-car crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Now his two young sons Sebastian and Oliver are working their way up the circuit with aspirations of becoming professional drivers. Participating in a sport that took away your dad takes guts, determination, and a child’s curiosity. Maybe this is the only way they know how to cope with a tragic loss. There are no easy or obvious ways to heal—for them and their mother, Susie, as she watches her kids get behind the wheel of karts.

Seeing Sebastian and Oliver compete is a constant reminder of the past, making her worry about the future.

For most of this documentary, Susie Wheldon is a focal point. She worked in public relations for one of Dan’s sponsors. She later went to work for him as a personal assistant before a relationship blossomed. They were married in 2008, three years before the accident left her a widow. After years of working in PR, Susie Wheldon knows how to present the best version of herself while discussing the most painful moment of her life. She is remarkably composed, but as she recounts the gut-wrenching details of that fateful day in October 2011, it’s impossible for the viewer not to feel like they’re eavesdropping on a eulogy.

Dan Wheldon was a larger-than-life character. From early videos, we see how comfortable he was in the public eye. The British racer had a natural charisma and a strong personality. That’s apparent in archival footage and how his family and friends talk about him. As a filmmaker, Brownson assembles a narrative that gives the audience a true sense of who Wheldon was. Some of the best scenes occur when Wheldon’s fellow drivers recount some of his less-than-likable behaviors.

People are often complicated, and competitive athletes are even more so. In his ambition to be great, he sometimes did and said things he probably regretted, like many of us. That inner fire helped fuel him to win the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 and 2011. 

Racing is inherently dangerous. Speeds exceed over 200 miles per hour. Cars weigh over 1,600 pounds. Drivers battle each other for life-changing paydays. Everyone involved tries their best to minimize the risk. The question at the heart of The Lionheart: Could Dan Wheldon’s death have been avoided? Several interviewees shared their opinions on how the unusual conditions of the race may have contributed to his demise. 

None of the potential problems were enough to dissuade Dan Wheldon. Not for someone who made his living off of flirting with danger. Perhaps the most revealing moment of the documentary is when former Wheldon teammate Tony Kanaan says matter-of-factly: “He didn’t walk away from things. Look, we all know the risks we take.”

Wheldon’s gone, but his legacy lives on through Sebastian, 15, and Oliver, 12. Listening to them thoughtfully ask and answer questions about their father is extraordinary. In a cruel twist, one of their races was in Las Vegas.

The Lionheart captures the moment when Sebastian and Oliver learn that the competition will be next to the track where their father died. On camera, they seem to handle it remarkably well. An emotional Susie walks away. Sebastian asks her: “Do you feel sad?” She responds: “Yeah.” He says: “Mom, give me a hug.” Susie, trying to stay strong for her boys, says: “It’s fine.” Not willing to take no for an answer, Sebastian repeats: “No, you need a hug, Mom.”

The authenticity of The Lionheart makes it one of the most profound sports documentaries in years.

The Lionheart is available to stream on Max.