Stay informed on all the biggest stories in Formula One.Sign up hereto receive the Prime Tire newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday and Friday.
Standing in the media pen with his hands on hips, overalls undone to the waist and sunglasses on, Brad Pitt looked like any other Formula One driver as he paused before stepping up to the microphone after qualifying for the British Grand Prix.
Advertisem*nt
But unlike the rest of the grid, his interview would only start on the call of “action!” and be captured by multiple cameras, getting the latest scene for Pitt’s upcoming movie, “F1,” due for release in June 2025. In the regular post-qualifying media rush, as reporters waited to speak to the drivers after their sessions, F1’s paddock doubled as a movie set.
From the very start of on-site filming at Silverstone last year, the paddock has embraced “F1”. Led by the “Top Gun: Maverick” director/producer duo of Joe Kosinski and Jerry Bruckheimer, and with Lewis Hamilton serving as a producer, the ability to film on race weekends and truly immerse in the usual operations of the F1 paddock has been critical to its authenticity.
As Hamilton said last year, “We want everyone to love it and to really feel that we encapsulate what the essence of this sport is all about.”
Opening up the F1 world
Silverstone was a significant moment for the project. Not only did it mark a year since the start of on-site filming at races, but it also brought about the confirmation of the movie title — “F1” — and the release of the first footage.
The 97-second teaser released by Apple Original Films and Warner Bros. gave a taste of what to expect from the film. This included a first look at the camera angles that captured Pitt behind the wheel of the car at Silverstone last year, building on the approaches Kosinski and Bruckheimer honed in the filming of “Top Gun,” as well as the use of CGI to put the fictional APXGP cars into real-life race footage from the 2023 season.
“F1” is using custom-built cars based on F2 chassis. (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
The British Grand Prix weekend brought with it the most notable APXGP presence yet. Like last year, a full garage was set up for the fictional Sonny Hayes (Pitt) and teammate Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) nestled between Ferrari and Mercedes in the pit lane. For the first time, APXGP also had its own motorhome in the F1 paddock, adding to the authenticity the movie makers have been trying to build.
Advertisem*nt
The two APXGP cars, custom-built based on an F2 chassis, also lined up on the grid ahead of lights out, as they did for the race in 2023. This allowed more footage to be captured as part of the real pre-race build-up. Javier Bardem, who plays the team owner, was present for the shooting of the scene.
Further on-site filming is planned for several of the remaining races in 2024, which will be completed at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Training to be a driver
Pitt and Idris have trained like racing drivers to make the most of that immersion.
Idris revealed he had lost 8.1kg (17.9 pounds) through filming, which he attributed to “intermittent fasting, salad and salmon.” He joked that he’d told the rest of the grid he was “flat through Copse” — one of the fastest corners at Silverstone — “and that they shouldn’t play with me!”
But he had learned plenty from getting to know the F1 drivers and being part of their world on race weekends where filming has taken place. “It’s amazing to see all the drivers and the dedication that goes into the sport,” Idris said. “They live, breathe, sleep Formula One. And that’s what I knew I had to do to play this part.”
In addition to capturing a scene in the live media pen, Pitt was present throughout the Silverstone weekend, again attending the drivers’ briefing on Friday evening as he did the previous year and discussing the project with the grid.
“He’s a legend,” said Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. “It’s special whenever he comes into the room.”
Given their competitive edge, it’s no surprise that the real-life F1 drivers were trying to tease out of Pitt how quick his lap times were in the briefing. “We were asking about his pace,” Gasly said. “But he wasn’t too clear about it!”
Why Hamilton’s input is so important
Set for release on June 25, 2025, filming of “F1” was delayed slightly by last year’s actors’ and writers’ strikes. But it could actually help the film.
Advertisem*nt
Similar to how the decision to delay “Top Gun: Maverick” due to the COVID-19 pandemic ended up giving the directors and producers more time to refine shots or make adjustments, the belief is that the extra time will have only served to benefit “F1.”
“I would say the strike kind of made the movie even better, the script got better,” Idris said. “We were able to get even greater footage. I think when people finally see this film, they’re going to be really proud of what we’ve done.”
One of the biggest assets to the film is Hamilton, who, from the very start, was clear about wanting to review everything he could to help make the movie as accurate as possible. Outside of his racing commitments, he has been heavily involved in the script and has appeared on the set to see how filming is going.
Idris first met Hamilton through fashion a couple of years ago. “To be able to work with him is a huge blessing,” Idris said. “When he comes on set, it’s always exciting. All the runners and assistants, they come up to me and go, ‘Lewis is here!’ It’s always a big deal when he’s on set.
“It’s really cool. We have his ultimate backing, his ultimate assistance. He’s making sure that we’re respectful to the sport and showing people how exactly it is.”
It is an input that should help the film quickly break down the intricate, sometimes complex F1 world and make it digestible for the average movie-goer. Even being part of the project helped Idris become more aware of how much goes on behind the scenes in F1.
“It’s not just 20 guys on the grid,” Idris said. “It’s a whole company of people creating magic.”
(Lead photo of Brad Pitt: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
Luke Smith is a Senior Writer covering Formula 1 for The Athletic. Luke has spent 10 years reporting on Formula 1 for outlets including Autosport, The New York Times and NBC Sports, and is also a published author. He is a graduate of University College London. Follow Luke on Twitter @LukeSmithF1
