When Apple and Formula One teamed for its pricey tentpole F1: The Movie, they hoped for a mutually beneficial relationship. The Brad Pitt film from Top Gun: Maverick filmmaker Joseph Kosinski would attract new fans to the sport, while F1 fanatics would flock to theaters and boost the box office. It seems like a good bet; F1 has grown in popularity in recent years, particularly making strides with women, thanks to the Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive, which has chronicled the drama on and off the track since 2019.
Now, just a day away from its June 27 release, a key question is about to be answered: will F1 fans accept the film, or will it be seen as too “Hollywood” — a not quite authentic version of a racing sport that already delivers plenty of drama in real life? (Max Verstappen and George Russell continued beef? Red Bull playing driver musical chairs for its second seat? McLaren’s questionable “Papaya Rules” for its drivers? iykyk).
So far, real Formula 1 drivers have already teased their thoughts after an early screening of the film last month, where they offered praise but also suggested it wasn’t strictly faithful to the sport.
“We are looking at it as Formula 1 drivers, and we always try and see all the small details that are not exactly [accurate], but it’s just very Hollywood-like and I think that’s really cool because it’s not for F1 drivers, it’s for a broader audience,” said Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari driver, according to Motorsport.com.
Williams Racing driver Carlos Sainz Jr. shared a similar sentiment. “You can tell they’re a bit Hollywood-esque. I truly believe that it will attract a lot of new audiences, and it will do very well for the people that don’t know anything about Formula 1,” he admitted. “For the hardcore fan and for journalists, we will see things that might be a bit too American or a bit too Hollywood. But honestly, I enjoyed the whole film.”
For the past year, F1 fans have already been giving their critiques based on videos posted on social media during Grand Prix weekends throughout the 2024 racing season, where filming occurred on weekends. One dramatic scene shot in Las Vegas in November saw one of the actors pass out after leaving his wrecked car. This was quickly criticized by some fans, as real-life drivers aren’t typically seen collapsing on the ground outside their cars following a wreck. Case in point: in a horrific crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean’s car was split in half and engulfed in flames. But even he didn’t collapse, but instead managed to walk away with only minor burns, as well as being dubbed “the man who walked out of fire.”
Race attendees also captured Pitt standing on the podium’s top step while they were filming a scene at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December, with Leclerc in second and Russell (Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver) in third. (Yes, the production did in fact make Leclerc and Russell come back out to film the fake podium ceremony right after the real one occurred with McLaren driver Lando Norris on the top step.)
Also at issue: some real-life F1 supporters may have a tough time believing 61-year-old Pitt could beat younger talent, as in real life, the current oldest racing driver on the grid is 43-year-old Fernando Alonso (who currently drives for Aston Martin). While he has won 32 F1 races and two World Championships throughout his career, his last race win was over a decade ago at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix.
Still, the film has a lot going for it in its pedigree. Top Gun: Maverick filmmaker Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer struck gold three years ago with the film that topped $1.49 billion globally and credibly showed off the thrills of aerial combat. The selling point for F1 is that they’ve done the same for driving, with the production touting stars Damson Idris and Pitt’s real skills on the racetrack.
While F1: The Movie focuses on Pitt and Idris’ characters, real-life drivers also make several appearances throughout. Though it makes you wonder if fans seeing their favorite drivers on the big screen will be a distraction or help with the continuity. Personally, I’m never mad when McLaren driver Lando Norris pops up on my screen.
The film also boasts seven-time World Champion and current Scuderia Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton as a producer. Hamilton has praised the film as the “most authentic racing movie that’s ever been made.” He also said the film’s creative team listened to his insights for small details, from “the sounds a car would make when it’s at a certain position on the track or the way a crash might happen.”
F1 is looking to notch a solid start at the box office, with predictions estimating a domestic opening of $40 million to $50 million. And has earned strong reviews, which give it high marks for its feeling of authenticity. As Lovia Gyarkye wrote for The Hollywood Reporter: “The strongest scenes in F1 … are these moments during race weekends, when Kosinki embeds his fictional team with real ones.” Concludes the critic: “Of course, there are some unrealistic elements in F1, bits that might have sticklers raising an eyebrow, but the film doesn’t feel any less dramatic than the real thing.”