The film is titled simply “F1,” as confirmed by Formula 1 alongside the unveiling of a teaser trailer during the 2024 British Grand Prix. Pitt stars as seasoned driver Sonny Hayes, who is coaxed out of retirement to team up with rookie Joshua Pearce (played by Damson Idris) at the imaginary APXGP team. This setup may sound familiar to those who’ve seen the 2001 film “Driven,” substituting Pitt and F1 in place of Sylvester Stallone and CART.
Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Tobias Menzies, Sarah Niles, Kim Bodnia, and Samson Kayo also appear in undisclosed roles, with Joseph Kosinski directing. Kosinski was known for his stunning aerial combat sequences in “Top Gun: Maverick” and, judging by this trailer, he seems to have achieved a similar level of excitement with the racing scenes in F1.
The footage in the trailer appears to be quite gripping, with the modified single-seaters utilized for filming effectively standing in for real F1 vehicles. There’s even a cameo from the late Haas team principal Guenther Steiner.
F1 is closely engaged in the production of the film, providing a level of access that includes shooting during actual race weekends. This should ideally lead to a reduction in CGI crowds compared to what we saw in “Ford v. Ferrari.” Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is also among the film’s producers. In a recent interview, Hamilton mentioned that he had been advising Kosinski on camera placements for the F1 events and had participated in a track day with Pitt.
Even though an initial trailer has been released, F1 announced in June that filming would persist throughout other races in the 2024 season, wrapping up at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December. “F1” is slated to be released in North America on June 27, 2025.
A shorter second trailer debuted on Super Bowl Sunday, featuring just one line of commentary: “Hayes attacks from the outside,” which comes towards the end of the thrilling montage.
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