For us F1 girlies, the news of a driver change-up on the grid is always exciting, but if there’s one thing we didn’t expect to see this silly season, it’s Brad Pitt lining up alongside the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on Grand Prix weekend.
While his presence on track may seem like a fun new career pivot for the Oscar winner, his regular appearances at races across the globe are actually part of his upcoming feature film aptly titled F1.
Thanks to the film’s star power and blockbuster budget, footage of extras waving cardboard cutouts of Pitt’s face in the grandstand alongside hundreds of confused F1 fans has quickly gone viral. Don’t get us wrong, we love the new meme material, but what *actually* is happening with the new movie?
What is the F1 movie about?
Confused about what all the fuss is about? Well, thanks to a little series known as Drive to Survive, the stories behind each of the Formula 1 drivers have recently begun to take centre stage, and F1 will be no exception.
Based on the early teasers, the film will centre around Formula 1 driver Sonny Hayes, played by Pitt, who, after suffering from a horrific crash in the 1990s, was forced to retire from the sport and try his hand at less high-octane disciplines of motor racing.
30 years after stepping away from the sport, a friend and Formula 1 team owner reaches out to Sonny asking him to join the grid to mentor his latest rookie of the Apex Grand Prix Team.
Is Lewis Hamilton in the F1 movie?
While Lewis Hamilton may be one of the many all-star cameos in the F1 movie, the seven-time world champion has also signed on to the film as its executive producer.
Speaking on his involvement, Hamilton told Esquire, “[Screenwriter] Ehren [Kruger] basically did a ton of research, watched a lot of races, came to a bunch of races, and then went away and wrote up a script… then once he wrote the script, I would sit with him and call bulls*** basically on the things that don’t seem real and are not what F1 is about and try to make sure that it’s as authentic as possible.”
Elaborating on his input in the film, Hamilton shared that as well as ensuring the film represents a racial and gender-diverse cast, he has also worked towards guaranteeing that the on-screen action is as close to the real thing as possible.
“[I would correct] particularly racing scenarios and sequences between overtakes and pit stops and strategies and all those sorts of things. There may have been a crash that was like the car hits the wall and flips and lands on the wheels and keeps going, and that doesn’t happen in Formula 1.”
Is Brad Pitt driving an F1 car?
Although movie magic may make it appear that Brad Pitt is behind the wheel of a modern F1 car, the actor is actually driving a modified F2 car.
While they may not be as big or as fast as Formula 1 cars, the film’s producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed to People that Pitt had to undertake months of training in order to be fit to get behind the wheel.
“He trained for four or five months. He’s an amazing driver. In fact, some of the F1 drivers said he’s a natural athlete. He really is. He’s amazing in that car.”
When is Brad Pitt’s F1 movie coming out?
Eager to see the racing action unfold? The F1 movie will be released in cinemas and IMAX worldwide in mid-2025.
