‘F1: The Movie’ – blockbuster of the summer?

F1: The Movie is an adrenaline-packed summer blockbuster, well-timed to encourage further engagement with Formula One, which has already gained more traction over the past few years. However, its focus on the sport brings expectations of realism which Hollywood has not necessarily realised.

The film stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, an ex-F1 driver who hasn’t driven a Formula One car since an on-grid crash 30 years ago. In a last-ditch attempt to save the fictional team APX GP from bankruptcy, Hayes joins rookie Joshua Pearce in an attempt to gain the team the win that will be necessary to save it.

This is one of the first points which seems unrealistic. Although the idea that the board would put pressure on APX GP to perform is hardly farfetched, it is unrealistic that they would be expected to go from failing to score a point for two or so seasons straight to podiums.

People are claiming that the unrealistic scenes with fast-paced action were typical of Hollywood

The sheer number of crashes also seems unrealistic. It is absurd that Sonny Hayes would not have incurred any race bans or even points on his FIA super license for dangerous and reckless driving. People are claiming that the unrealistic scenes with fast-paced action were typical of Hollywood. However, claims that the show-stopping crash, potentially the most dramatic moment of the film, where Pearce’s car flips mid-air, is unrealistic, fail to account for the parallels between this and Alex Peroni’s 2019 F3 crash at Monza. Also, as a Hollywood film, one has to take such scenes with a pinch of salt. This is an opinion shared by Carlos Sainz about the film, an opinion which seems more forgiving even than that of Red Bull driver, Max Verstappen, who skipped the premiere.

With Lewis Hamilton as one of the producers of the movie, it is a wonder that small inaccuracies, which would be obvious to F1 fans, were overlooked. For example, the incorrect order of the races in the season seems a detail that would have been simple to fix. Additionally, including qualification wouldn’t have hurt, especially since this plays such a big role in each race, determining where the drivers start on the grid.

However, with the subtle references to Senna (F1 legend who died in a crash at the San Marino GP in 1994) throughout the film to honour him, CEO of Mercedes AMG Petronas Toto Wolff’s one line and the brief but memorable appearance of Lewis Hamilton’s adorable British bulldog Roscoe, there is an evident appeal to fans of the sport.

Each car consists of an F2 chassis modified with bodywork by Mercedes in order to blend the car in with the rest of the F1 grid

The film uses F2 race cars, working with Mercedes AMG to modify them and enable them to carry the camera equipment, recorders, and transmitters necessary for the film’s production. Each car consists of an F2 chassis modified with bodywork by Mercedes in order to blend the car in with the rest of the F1 grid.

Featuring driver training such as neck strengthening and reaction times was useful to build awareness about the intense regime which drivers have to go through, focusing on the more athletic nature of the sport which is often overlooked.

There is also clearly a strong effort behind the film’s production, as seen by the brand new camera system which was developed for the film. Footage features drivers from the real life 2023 grid. The acting and soundtrack also play a crucial role in the appeal of the movie, with Damson Idris, previously known for his role in Snowfall, proving himself worthy of the Hollywood acting role due to his outstanding performance. The soundtrack includes the highly anticipated Tate McRae song ‘Just Keep Watching’, but this is only featured for around 10 seconds, disappointing her fans. However, the music is extremely varied, with songs by Don Toliver, Burna Boy, and Mr Eazi, as well as an Ed Sheeran song as the background music for the end credits.

Another disappointment was that, despite the brief nod to the struggles women face in the F1 field, with Kerry Condon playing the first female technical director, she decides to sleep with Hayes. After her insistence that she does not and will not blur the line between the personal and the professional, this seems to diminish the movie’s message of female empowerment.

This film has also been called an opportunity for the FIA to take advantage of brand sponsorships. Forbes has estimated that the producer responsible for the product placement of the film, David Leener, brought in at least $40 million in sponsorships.

Albeit unrealistic at times, F1: The Movie has never been marketed as a documentary. Moreover, alongside the occasional references that only F1 fans would notice, it is still an enjoyable watch, and a typically thrilling Hollywood blockbuster.

F1: The Movie is in UK cinemas now.