F1 Meets Hollywood: What Do We Know About the New 'F1' Film?

Most sports have had their day in the Hollywood sunshine, from boxing's 'Rocky Balboa' trilogy, football's 'Any Given Sunday,' and soccer's 'Escape to Victory' featuring the great Brazilian Pele.

Motorsport, too, has had several films based around it. From the cult classic 'Le Mans' to the loveable 'Cars,' all ages have been catered to.

Now, another film based on motorsport is gearing up to grace the big screen. 'F1' may not be out until July 2025, but it's already caused some heads to turn in the film industry amid the tight-knit motorsport fraternity.

Here's why.

A simple plot managed by an experienced crew
The plot revolves around American driver Sonny Hayes, played by Brad Pitt, who returns to the Formula 1 circus to partner and mentor rookie Joshua Pearce [Damson Idris] at ApxGP. Javier Bardem, who played Raoul Silva in the 2012 James Bond film 'Skyfall,' is the team owner.

American Joseph Kosinski, who directed 2022's box office hit Top Gun: Maverick, will direct 'F1' with legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer, also involved in the film's production.

Bruckheimer has produced films such as the original 'Top Gun', 'Beverley Hills Cop' and has prior racing experience as a joint producer of the 1990 NASCAR-based classic 'Days of Thunder,' which starred Tom Cruise.

Other producers include Pitt himself, Dede Gardner, a two-time Oscar winner in the Best Picture category, and Lewis Hamilton, who is assisting with the film's script. Hamilton's film and TV company, Dawn Apollo Films, will also help produce the movie along with Apple Studios.

Adding to the star-studded lineup is two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer, who will compose the score for the film. Warner Bros Pictures and Apple Original Films will distribute the movie. 'F1' will premier on June 25th 2025.

The part-time 11th team in the paddock
With the film's budget reportedly hitting $300m, the makers of 'F1' have gone all out to ensure that the public is presented with an authentic deception of the high-octane world of Grand Prix racing.

ApxGP has filmed at several GP weekends between 2023 and 2024, with Pitt undergoing training for his role by driving a Formula 2 car at the Paul Ricard circuit in France.

The camera cars have been designed to look as close as possible to a real-life F1 machine, but underneath the bodywork lies a F2 chassis and a Mechachrome V6 engine producing 620 bhp. Three stunt drivers which include former Le Mans winner Warren Hughes and former Superleague Formula star Craig Dolby have been recruited for the driving scenes.

ApxGP also has its very own hospitality unit in the paddock, with the extras of the film wearing team apparel featuring logos from companies such as Expensify, IWC, and Tommy Hilfiger.

F1 and Hollywood: a long standing love affair
With a massive budget and a star-studded cast, the new film promises to be a hit at the box office, but even still it will have big shoes to fill.

The benchmark for all F1-based films is the 1966 classic 'Grand Prix' directed by John Frankenheimer and starring legendary actors such as James Garner and the late Françoise Hardy.

Using Formula 3 cars driven by Garner and Antonio Sabàto, Grand Prix gave the wider public a real glimpse at the dangerous world of F1 in an era where television coverage was scarce.

World champions such as Graham Hill and Jack Brabham made cameo appearances in the film, while Phil Hill drove a modified camera car during the 1966 Belgium and Monaco GPs weekends, adding another element of realism.

In the 2010s, two F1-based films took the movie industry by storm. First, there was 'Senna,' a documentary depicting the life of three-time world champion Ayrton Senna.

The film featured interviews from those inside the F1 paddock during Senna's career and vast amounts of previously unseen archive footage. In 2011, 'Senna' won Best Documentary at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards.

Meanwhile, 'Rush', a film based on Niki Lauda and James Hunt's epic 1976 tussle for the world championship, was released in 2013 and was later nominated for two Golden Globe awards.