Thrill ride
“It’s funny, aggressive, and surprisingly heartwarming. This film is so damn entertaining on so many levels,” says Brad Pitt about F1 The Movie, now racing into cinemas from Apple Original Films and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a former F1 prodigy from the ‘90s turned washed-up racer pulled back into the sport by old teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem). Ruben’s F1 team is on the verge of collapse, and Sonny’s their last shot at redemption. Hayes is paired with hotshot rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), and together the duo take on some of the most recognizable and elite teams in the world.
To bring the thrill of Formula 1 to life, director Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and Pitt filmed real high-speed racing behind the wheel of real F1 cars driving at nearly 320kph per hour during actual Grand Prix weekends. “The physics of it want to rip your head from your shoulders,” Pitt says. “It’s a high unlike any other. We couldn’t capture it any other way.”
Kosinski was inspired by the underdog stories from hit docuseries Drive to Survive and reached out to seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, who joined the film as producer. “I want it to be the most authentic racing film ever. Would you be interested?” Kosinski asked. Hamilton said yes—and signed on, adding “From the beginning, the focus has been on making it as authentic as possible—not just for new fans, but for people like me who grew up loving this sport.”
F1 fans will enjoy seeing some of their favorite drivers and teams up on the big screen, competing with Pitt’s fictional APXGP team, a perennial underdog.
With its inclusion of real race footage filmed during the actual Formula 1 season, a precisely sculpted score by Hans Zimmer, and a phenomenal cast, F1 The Movie delivers an unmatched cinematic ride for every viewer, whether diehard racing fan or inquisitive movie lover.
