Haas rookie Oliver Bearman has delivered overwhelmingly positive feedback after watching the upcoming F1 movie at a private screening in Monaco ahead of the Grand Prix. While admitting that it is done “in a bit of a Hollywood way,” including a warning about how a “small minority” may find some of it “untrue,” the 20-year-old was full of praise.
Simply titled F1, the upcoming movie is arguably the most ambitious motorsport film ever produced. Directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt, the project certainly has the credentials to bolster its efforts.
The story follows Sonny Hayes (Pitt) as he returns to Formula 1. Pulled into a struggling team by the name of APXGP, he joins the young rookie driver Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) in an attempt to pull the outfit up from the depths of the leaderboard.
With unprecedented access to F1 race weekends and with hands-on help from Lewis Hamilton, who acted as executive producer, expectations from fans are sky-high.
The grid was invited to a private screening ahead of the Monaco race weekend, and while 18 attended, both Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll were absent. Fortunately, those who made it were willing to share their thoughts with Motorsport.com and other media, Bearman included.
Actor Brad Pitt during filming for an upcoming movie
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
“I thought the movie was fantastic,” the British driver said. “It really depicts what we go through, [but] in a bit of a Hollywood way, as you would expect.”
The rookie expects the movie to amplify F1’s already vast fanbase.
“It’s going to make people want to watch F1, which is really the goal of it. The onboard shots and the work that they did was actually quite incredible – it was impressive to see the technology that they can use.”
As you’d expect, there is the odd cinematic trope.
“There were some funny parts, but it was meant to be like that,” Bearman continued. “Of course, there are some things that aren’t fully accurate… like the standard movie scene where they’re going side by side in the straights and suddenly the other guy finds another gear. But that’s a typical movie thing, and I think it makes it super captivating for the audience.”
The young driver ended with a warning to a “small minority” of viewers:
“There’s a small minority of us that will maybe find that a bit untrue, but I think for the majority it’s going to be a fantastic movie.”
