There is a sound that pulls you in even before you see anything: the roar of an F1 car. For anyone standing near Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit, that noise alone is enough to get your attention, making you almost expect a T-Rex or Brad Pitt's car to blast by. Then, it happens. A scream. Pitt's car rockets past with the speed of a fighter jet, spitting flames from its tail as it thunders through turn one and disappears. It is quite a sight to behold.
For those wondering, yes, Brad Pitt is really driving the car in this movie. In fact, Brad Pitt and Damson Idris really driving the car has become a central point of the movie. It is certainly the emotional heart of the production. Director Joseph Kosinski shared that the goal from the start was to create "the most authentic, realistic, and grounded racing movie ever made." To do this, Kosinski and his team used smaller IMAX-certified cameras. They developed these for Top Gun: Maverick. They mounted them to the cockpit of the race car, putting the audience right in the driver's seat of the greatest racing series on earth. That also meant putting its stars in the driver's seat too. Everyone on set seemed excited to talk about these driving sessions.
The roar comes again. The car winds through low-speed turns under the huge, shining hotel behind us. Then, with another scream, Pitt's car speeds down the straight. It has such power it makes your stomach drop. Seven-time F1 world champion and first-time producer Lewis Hamilton said that the most interesting thing about Brad is that "he’s already a bit of a racer at heart." Pitt's producing partner Jeremy Kleiner added that for Brad, "there’s probably a physiological component to the driving, a spiritual high."
Brad Pitt's Unexpected Skills And Lewis Hamilton's Crucial Role In Making The Film Authentic
From Dirt Bikes To F1 Cars, Pitt's Drive For Realism Shines Through In Every Scene
Even though he had never been in a racing movie, Pitt grew up riding dirt bikes in Missouri. He later raced bikes on tracks for fun. Pitt and Tom Cruise were once connected to a version of the Ford v Ferrari story. Director Joseph Kosinski was also attached at that time. Pitt and Cruise wanted to drive for real, and their director agreed. However, Kosinski said the studio would not meet his proposed budget. When Kosinski approached Pitt about making an F1 movie, Pitt's first question was whether they could do it for real.
They would drive for real. However, the insurance company needed some convincing on why they had to drive at top speed. Pitt explained that going 180 miles an hour on a freeway sounds completely reckless. But these F1 cars, he said, work better the faster they go. He explained that setting a speed limit would be more dangerous. You need to increase downforce and get heat into the tires to keep grip. You can only keep grip by going very fast. The insurance company was reasonably worried about Brad Pitt's safety. But the team had to make them understand: this was Formula 1. It was not a small car chase in the streets. When they were training, Pitt's stunt driver, Luciano Bacheta, would give him a speed limit warning. Pitt would say he was ignoring the warning. He admitted he got "quite impassioned, needlessly." It was comical in the end. When the company finally trusted them and let them drive freely, everything went smoothly.
Pitt was not just driving. He was acting for each of the cameras mounted on the car. As he passed by, you could watch the feeds on crew members' phones. Lights danced across his helmet. The car's vibrations as it cut a corner and bounced over a curve felt just like a Grand Prix broadcast. Pitt said this is what convinced everyone they had to film it for real. You do not get that effect with a green screen. Kim Bodnia, who plays the team principal of Pitt's fictional APXGP racing team, commented on Pitt's ability to drive and act at the same time. He called it "the fastness." He said he was scared when he first saw Pitt in the car. But then he saw how well it worked. Sarah Niles, who plays Idris's mother, said it gave the feeling of being a kid at the cinema again. Pitt found himself counting down his remaining drives. "I couldn't even sleep last night," he shared. The production was finally ending after three years of work.
Behind The Scenes Challenges Of Filming A Major Movie During A Real F1 Season
The Production Team's Unprecedented Integration Into The Formula 1 World
Like many people, Joseph Kosinski spent the early part of the pandemic watching the F1 docuseries Drive to Survive. Kosinski, who studied mechanical engineering and architecture, had just finished Top Gun: Maverick. He wanted more speed. He had worked with racing elements on his 2010 Tron movie. He also developed his version of the Ford v Ferrari story. He had spent the last part of his life bringing Top Gun back to life, filming objects and movie stars in motion in new ways. Top Gun: Maverick made over $1.5 billion. It was one of Hollywood's biggest hits of the past five years. That movie is about the very best. What interested Kosinski about Drive to Survive and F1 was how the series made you care about the struggling teams. He liked their pursuit of a single championship point or a race win.
While Maverick was being finished, Kosinski shared his idea for an F1 movie with Jerry Bruckheimer. Bruckheimer had not made a racing movie since 1990's Days of Thunder. He was interested in bringing that style to the most popular racing series on earth. Days of Thunder had been made with NASCAR's help, but it did not show the sport as truly as some hoped. For an F1 film, Kosinski and Bruckheimer wondered what it would be like to truly become part of the F1 season. They wanted to make a film that F1 fans and outsiders would both like. F1 has historically preferred to tell its own story. But Drive to Survive had made it easier for outsiders to get access. Plus, Kosinski had a secret weapon: Lewis Hamilton.
While Kosinski was casting Maverick, Lewis Hamilton got his contact from Tom Cruise. He emailed Kosinski asking for an audition. Kosinski tried him for a pilot part. But Hamilton had not realized how much time it would take. He was in the middle of his season and fighting for a championship. He could not step away for filming. But he and Kosinski kept in touch. In late 2021, Kosinski and Bruckheimer met with Hamilton. They convinced him to join as a producer. He would help make sure the script was true to racing. He would also talk with F1 officials. Kosinski said everyone involved needed to be "undeniably perfect" to get a studio to pay for the film. Many studios were interested. Apple, Kosinski said, truly understood the idea. This means they were willing to pay. The plan, if F1 agreed, was to fully become part of a real F1 season. They would be the "11th team" in the 10-team sport. They would pack up their garage, cars, crew, and drivers and move to the next race, just like any other team. They would film with other crews and drivers naturally in the background. They would put the cars on the track with real cars. They would stand on the podium with real drivers if Pitt's underdog team ever won.
For F1, this kind of involvement was a big ask. It was a total intrusion into the daily life of a sport worth a lot of money. But Hollywood had the courage to ask. In February 2022, Kosinski, Bruckheimer, and Pitt flew to London to pitch to F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali. Top Gun: Maverick was not yet in theaters. But Kosinski arranged for Domenicali and Pitt to watch Maverick in IMAX three months early. Kosinski said that is when Stefano saw the film's potential. And with Hamilton involved, F1 knew it was in good hands.
One more thing needed sorting: Hamilton wanted to be sure Pitt could really drive. In early 2022, Hamilton joined Pitt and Kosinski at the Porsche Experience Center in Los Angeles. Hamilton had not been in a race car since his championship duel a month before. As Pitt sped around the track, Hamilton watched him closely. He saw right away that Pitt could hold his own. This was familiar for Hamilton. He used to teach rich guys how to drive race cars when he was a teenager. After a while, Hamilton got in the driver's seat. He told Pitt: "Brad, let me take you for a spin." Kosinski remembers there is a part of the track with a long straightaway and then a banked bowl. He watched Lewis take Brad into that bowl at twice the speed limit. They disappeared in a puff of dust. They came back. The door flew open. Brad jumped out, sweating. Lewis had a huge smile. He had clearly scared Brad. But he wanted to give Brad a taste of what it means to be on the edge. Kosinski thinks it hooked Pitt at that moment too.
Brad Pitt And Damson Idris's Bond On And Off The F1 Track
The Dynamic Between The Stars And How It Shapes The Story Of APXGP Team
In the film, Pitt’s character Sonny Hayes joins the APXGP team when they are in last place. Their car is not very good. Since they cannot win with speed, Pitt uses clever strategies to gain an advantage. These tricks are so smart. They could only come from someone who has raced many seasons and started many races. Hamilton said he got to be a strategist in all the racing scenes. Hamilton also helped with character work and casting. He wanted to make sure the film was diverse and showed the real world. He hopes kids watching will think, "Oh my God, there’s people in there that I can be too." Even if some roles in reality are not yet as diverse as on screen. For example, having a female race engineer at the forefront of the story is not common in real life F1. Kerry Condon plays this character.
Damson Idris, who plays Pitt’s teammate Joshua Pearce, learned something about himself from Pitt. He cannot wait to share it. He believes he is faster than Brad with no restrictions. He even told Pitt to tell everyone that. Pitt commented that they do not let Damson and him on the track at the same time. He thinks it is smart. He does not want to be on the track with Idris. From the start, the film focused on a classic dynamic between a quick rookie and a rough veteran. In the film, Pitt’s character Sonny Hayes was a hotshot in F1 in the early 90s. A racing incident with Ayrton Senna, a famous Brazilian driver who died in 1994, left Hayes broken physically and emotionally. He was out of the top levels of racing for good. That is until Javier Bardem, his old teammate, needs a miracle to keep his last-place team. He has a rookie, Joshua Pearce, played by Idris, who is talented but still learning. But Bardem needs an older, experienced driver to guide him.
Idris recalls a moment when Lewis Hamilton visited the set. Hamilton saw Joshua and told Joe, "Man, I think Joshua’s too cool! He just looks too cool. He’s got swag and everything. He’s a rookie! He’s supposed to be like a nerd." As a rookie, Hamilton explained, Joshua is much further along than he was or most rookies are. His style and confidence are unique. Hamilton said he did not discover his own style until 10 years into racing. Idris explained that Joshua tries to copy Lewis because Lewis is his hero. That is why he is cool. Then Joe told Lewis this. Lewis seemed to accept it. Idris still finds it funny that Lewis only agreed to let his character be cool once he was convinced it was because Joshua was imitating Lewis. Idris, a 33-year-old British actor, was new to films of this size. But he learned fast and was a adaptable talent. Pitt called him a charming. "He is just perfect," Pitt said. "He adds so much to our story. I just couldn’t see anyone else doing it. I just believe him."
Unlike Pitt, who has been famous for decades, the less known Idris fits in easily with the F1 world. This was a huge help, especially when they were starting. It was not clear if the real racers would accept the film crew being so involved. Idris remembers a moment at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix. Hamilton and Verstappen had crashed. Verstappen came speeding back into the pits. Idris was sitting in the car, trying to be small. He saw Verstappen get out, so frustrated. Idris felt that you cannot fake that emotion. Seeing that on screen makes the viewer know it is real. Hamilton said other teams and racers were just curious about the movie. They were professional. They wanted to fit in without messing things up. As Tim Bampton, F1's liaison for the film, said, "It’s two cars on the track and you want to get them as close as possible—but they must never touch."
Brad Pitt's Personal Reflections On Driving And The End Of A Long Production
The Car As A Sanctuary And The Ongoing Buzz Of His Public Life
After that final week in Abu Dhabi, the huge team scattered. Kosinski started editing the movie. But he had to scramble for a week during the LA wildfires. He watched the film for the first time on his laptop in a hotel room. This was not how they imagined watching a movie "meant for IMAX, the biggest screen possible." Idris started a new film in Cape Town. He said he wants to be in his "motherland." Hamilton started a new season, his first with Ferrari. He won a sprint race in Shanghai. When we spoke again in the spring, Pitt was in a beautiful home in rural New Zealand, filming his next movie. It was a Sunday, his day off. He was alone on the other side of the world from where I last saw him. I asked him what he does to make a new place feel like home.
He said he likes architecture and nature. So he looks for a beautiful spot for a new experience instead of trying to make it feel like home. He only brings his own sheets, because he has grown fond of softness as he gets older. He said that is about it. I asked him what movie stars and F1 drivers have most in common. Pitt said there is an isolation. Even a loneliness when things are not going well. But it usually leads to something better. He feels they have it bad. But F1 drivers are so scrutinized. That sport is so respected. Many of us think we could do it too, just because we drive a car fast. He said drivers get so much criticism. It is shocking to him. They must have tougher skin than even actors. The car, risky as it can be, often gives F1 drivers a safe place. It seemed to do the same for Pitt. It separated him from the constant noise of his life for three decades. He said his personal life is always in the news. It has been in the news for 30 years. He called it an annoyance he has always dealt with. It is a waste of time if you let it be. But his life feels contained and secure with friends, loved ones, and family. It is like a fly buzzing around him.
A couple of weeks after that final drive in Abu Dhabi, Pitt's private life was in the news again. His very public divorce from Angelina Jolie was finalized. I asked if anything felt different. Pitt and his new girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, went to a public event together for the first time at the 2024 British Grand Prix. Hamilton won that race in his final season with Mercedes. I asked Pitt if they planned to appear publicly at an F1 race. He chuckled and said no. He explained it is not that calculated. He said life just evolves. Relationships evolve. There are many parts in the film where Pitt and his character seem to match. Brad Pitt, a very famous actor, plays Sonny Hayes. Sonny is a lone-wolf race car driver with a past people think they know. He has a present that is full of intrigue. At one point, Sonny explains how he coped with his mistakes and regrets. He says, "As long as I was behind the wheel of the car, I was good."
The character explains there is a feeling he has been chasing all his life. This is why he is still doing it, staying in the spotlight, and risking his life. It is like a flow state, like what Hamilton described to Pitt. Time slows down. It is quiet. It is peaceful. You notice the clouds. You are floating. You are flying. In the spring, while we spoke, Pitt looked out the window and closed his eyes. He said there is a peacefulness in the car. Some days you are mentally off. You are a fraction of a second behind on your turning point. Or if you are uneasy and not committed to the car, you get it all wrong. Then there are days where it is amazing. You cannot believe what these cars can do. You cannot believe how they stick and how late you can brake. The car supports you. It is like getting on a horse and trusting it. Getting to know the horse and loving it. Sometimes it all feels right. There is no bad stuff from yesterday and nothing to deal with tomorrow. It is just this moment. Until you get on the straights, where you are going fastest, that is where you rest. You can catch your breath and just relax a little. Your mind might wander to a beautiful cloud or how the grandstand is painted blue. You have time to drift a little until the next breaking point.
Whether it was a safe place or a thrill ride or a dream, it was what he hoped. Pitt said he had been doing this for a while and wondered if he had more stories to tell. Did he have anything to add to this? Could he still find excitement from it? This story, this film, this wild adventure in the car, confirmed it. It made everything exciting again for him. His eyes closed again as he talked about the Ardennes in Belgium, at Spa. "It’s another place I can put myself in that car, in that seat. I can feel it. I can feel the adrenaline of approaching Eau Rouge," F1’s tough corner, "and going up that blind full throttle." He could picture coming around the back around Pouhon corner and trusting this car when it looks like it is off-camber and downhill. It looks like you will flip into space. But you trust it. It digs into the curve, this high-speed corner with a double apex. He was really happy.