Brad Pitt opens up on ‘extraordinary’ experience of shooting ‘F1 The Movie’

Brad Pitt has described being involved in Apple Original Films’ new movie about F1 as “one of the most extraordinary experiences” of his illustrious career, while paying tribute to the entire paddock for their help and support.

Titled F1, the movie is being directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (Top Gun: Maverick), Oscar-winning actor Pitt and seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, among other respected names.

Pitt stars as former F1 driver Sonny Hayes, who returns to the sport to partner rookie team mate Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris, at the fictional APXGP team – who slot alongside the existing 10 outfits up and down the pit lane.

Filming of F1 has taken place at real events, including at 2024's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with attention now turning toward its international release on June 25, 2025, and North America debut on June 27, 2025.

Taking some time to discuss the project at the Yas Marina Circuit during filming in Abu Dhabi, Pitt told F1 TV’s Will Buxton where his passion for the sport came from, how the movie came about and what viewers can expect when it hits cinemas.

“I’ve always loved racing,” Pitt begins. “I grew up with Jackie Stewart [racing in F1 as] some of my earliest memories. In the ’90s I really got heavily into MotoGP. Then I started veering into F1, and here we are.”

He continues: “I’ve been trying to get a racing movie done for 20 years. I’ve tried bikes, I’ve tried cars, I’ve tried different disciplines, and for whatever reason they never came to fruition.

“We got a great push behind us [for this film], people were more and more interested [in F1], so we could get [a company] like Apple to come in and really support us.

“It was Joe Kosinski and Jerry Bruckheimer, just coming off [filming] Maverick, who said, ‘[We] want to make the most realistic racing movie we’ve seen to date’, and I think that’s what we’ve done.”

Central to that goal is Pitt and co-star Idris getting behind the wheel of racing cars themselves, with the pair taking to the track at circuits across the F1 calendar alongside experienced, professional drivers.

“I think by the time we get to the movie, it’s undeniable [that we are driving the cars],” smiles Pitt, with his actions captured by cutting-edge camera technology. “We’re not sitting on a sound stage with wind machines…

“I don’t know where I go from here. You can’t compete with this experience. It’s almost like when we get to the acting scenes, you kind of go, ‘Oh, okay, no driving today!’ It’s really been amazing.”

Hamilton offered a valuable, helping hand in this area, while also keeping track of the entire filming process to ensure that events and scenes were captured as accurately as possible.

“Everyone has had a hand honing this thing, then Lewis coming in for the ultimate ‘smell test’,” says Pitt. “I think we’ve got something. It’s really fun, it’s exciting, it’s adventurous, and you feel it. I do. I hope others do too.

“Lewis’ knowledge has been so immensely helpful. He’s been keeping us straight, going, ‘No, that doesn’t fly,’ right down to the sound. He can actually pick it out and go, ‘No, that’s Turn 12, not Turn 16. You need more reverb on the straight’ – he’s that specific.”

Finally, Pitt paid tribute to the drivers, teams and wider staff members involved in F1 who all embraced the movie and accommodated the “imaginary 11th team” from race weekend to race weekend.

“I’ve got to thank them all [in F1],” he comments. “The teams have been so generous with us, so welcoming, and they play a part in this film. The drivers, F1 has opened all doors for us…

“It’s unbelievable the way they’ve let us embed into their season. We’ve tried not to get in the way and they’ve been really cool with us – I can’t thank them enough.”

Pitt signs off: “It’s been one of the most extraordinary experiences I’ve had. I think it shows. At the end of the day, if the guys down pit lane say, ‘Job well done’, then we’ve done it.”

Watch the full video interview with Pitt at the top of this article as he shares more about the thrill of filming, the cars and tracks involved and what it felt like to jump into the cockpit.