The upcoming F1 film starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris is receiving plenty of attention in the Melbourne paddock today following its trailer release. Team bosses from Williams, Ferrari, and Aston Martin have all confirmed their optimism about the potential impact of the Hollywood production, citing Drive to Survive as proof of success.
Williams team principal James Vowles has drawn comparisons between F1 and Top Gun. “For me, if you go and look what this has done, for example, an example would be Top Gun, and actually what it did in that example, it was enormous,” he said, further comparing it to Netfix’s Drive to Survive. “Netflix has been transformative, and that’s not just because they’re filming over there in the corner,” he joked.
Vowles believes the film will open Formula 1 to “a different market and a larger market as a result of it. And that’s why we’re all excited by it. And from the trailers and the bits I’ve seen, especially when you sit there and watch what they’re doing with it. They’ve been doing everything to not make it look as though there’s another gear that they’ve been missing or an accelerator you can push harder.
“They’re fundamentally trying to replicate our sport in a film version, and that’s what I connected to when they went through it.”
Ferrari chief Fred Vasseur echoes this opinion, reflecting on the growth the sport saw after 2018. “ F1 was absolutely not in the same shape,” he said, crediting Netflix for the surge in popularity. “This movie will be exactly the same story because it’s the best way for us to attract people to the F1.”
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem film a scene for the F1 movie on the podium
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Aston Martin team principal Andy Cowell followed the two, confirming that they will be attending a preview screening.
“I think there’s a preview coming up that we’re all gonna go along and watch,” he said, adding that the film has an “opportunity to reach a different, broader cross section of people.”
The F1 film: What we know so far
Joseph Kosinski of Top Gun: Maverick fame directed the film which stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver who was never able to fulfil his potential. The story follows him as he joins the fictional APXGP team to help a young and struggling driver, Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris.
Lewis Hamilton served as a producer of the film, maintaining its realism while staying true to the story.
Working alongside F1 from 2023, the crew has been seen at several Grands Prix around the world, filming alongside the drivers, teams, and cars.
