Get ready to strap in, cinch your harness, and feel the G-force. F1: The Movie, the much-hyped racing drama from the powerhouse team behind Top Gun: Maverick, speeds into cinemas and IMAX screens this weekend and it does not take its foot off the pedal.

• Directed by Joseph Kosinski, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, scored by Hans Zimmer and starring Brad Pitt – it’s a tough team to outpace.
• The Sandton Times hit the red carpet alongside fellow film and Formula 1 enthusiasts for an exclusive pre-screening of F1: The Movie.
• While the story occasionally veers into familiar territory – and purists may raise an eyebrow at the fictional team setup – the overall package still delivers a cinematic pole position.
• Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.

F1: The Movie stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a fictional former Formula 1 phenom of the 1990s who finds himself lured back into the unforgiving world of elite motorsport. A crash three decades ago almost ended his career and life, but now, older and bruised but not broken, Sonny gets one more shot to prove himself behind the wheel.

What sets F1: The Movie apart isn’t just Brad’s commanding performance or the cinematic sheen you’d expect from a Jerry Bruckheimer production – it’s the fact that this film was shot during actual F1 race weekends, with real teams, real circuits, and the roar of actual Grand Prix engines serving as the film’s visceral backbone. With F1 and all 10 teams – plus the FIA and promoters – onboard, this is not just another motorsport flick.

This is Formula 1 cinema, redefined – a thrilling fusion of fact and fiction where reality and cinematic storytelling collide in spectacular fashion. The film seamlessly integrates real-life F1 icons fans have come to love through series like ‘Drive to Survive’, including Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff, McLaren Racing’s Zak Brown, and even a cheeky cameo from former Haas F1 boss Guenther Steiner. Add to that a grid full of real F1 drivers, and what you get is nothing short of a fever dream for Formula 1 enthusiasts.

However, at the heart of the film is a timeless narrative: redemption. Sonny is coaxed back into Formula 1 by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (a charming yet quietly desperate Javier Bardem), now the owner of APXGP – a struggling team that’s one pit stop away from folding. Enter Joshua Pearce (an excellent Damson Idris), a fiery rookie with raw talent, ambition, and little patience for washed-up legends.

The dynamic between Brad and Damson provides the film’s emotional engine. There’s tension, mentorship, rivalry, and the constant threat of the physical and psychological demands of F1. The team may be fictional, but the stakes feel very real.

While the plot follows familiar beats – the reluctant comeback, the fresh upstart, the dramatic crashes (emotional and literal) – the film elevates itself with character depth, raw performances, and a production so rooted in reality it could almost be a documentary…if documentaries had Hollywood-level pacing and a thunderous soundtrack. There’s even some humour blended in for good measure.

Much of the movie’s wow factor stems from its unprecedented integration with the real F1 calendar. The APXGP car was actually on the grid in 2023 and 2024, capturing footage alongside the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari. Director Joseph Kosinski doesn’t just film racing – he immerses you in it and it is pretty remarkable once you start trying to get your head around it. From the claustrophobic cockpit shots to aerial sequences over Silverstone, Spa, and Suzuka, the cinematic velocity is intense. You’ll flinch as carbon fibre shatters, sweat as tyres screech, and feel your stomach drop with every DRS-enabled overtake.

Helping lend the film legitimacy is Lewis Hamilton, who not only co-produces but reportedly advised on everything from script authenticity to driving technique. You feel his fingerprints all over the film – from the nuanced handling of race strategy and media pressure to the unspoken camaraderie (and rivalry) between teammates.

Brad’s performance as Sonny is easily one of his most physically committed roles. He’s every bit the broken legend with fuel in his blood and demons in his mirrors. Damson Idris is a revelation, playing Joshua Pearce with layered confidence and the vulnerability of someone pushing the limits of both machine and self.

The supporting cast brings even more gravitas. Kerry Condon as the team’s no-nonsense engineer, Tobias Menzies as the corporate-speak PR exec, and Sarah Niles as the team’s head strategist all bring heart and tension to the pit wall. Kim Bodnia, Samson Kayo, and Callie Cooke round out a team you actually want to root for – a rare feat in sports dramas.

Like Top Gun: Maverick, this film balances high-octane action with genuine emotional beats. It looks spectacular – with slow-motion rain races, sunset qualifying laps, and those gorgeous pre-race aerials – but it also sounds spectacular. The soundtrack is worth a mention, blending original scores with adrenaline-laced classics that will surely spawn a best-selling album.

The film cleverly weaves in real F1 moments – from iconic radio calls to sweeping crowd shots and familiar paddock personalities – without ever slipping into gimmickry. Even the heavy-handed product placement, a hallmark of both Hollywood and Formula 1, feels entirely at home. After all, F1 is visually defined by its logo-laden spectacle – a veritable Christmas tree of branding at every turn. These elements ground the film in authenticity, creating a world that’s both cinematically striking and true to the high-octane theatre of Formula 1.

F1: The Movie is more than just a racing film. It’s a well crafted entertainment piece by people who not only understand Formula 1 but revere it. It brings the smell of burning rubber, the scream of V6 hybrids, and the relentless pressure of perfection to the big screen in a way that’s never been done before.

For a film of this scale and stature, it’s crafted with surprising restraint and a strong sense of occasion. With minimal swearing, implied but non-graphic intimacy, and a lack of gratuitous violence or blasphemy, it’s refreshingly tasteful – striking a balance that makes it accessible to a broad audience. Yet, it remains unapologetically high-octane, delivering full-throttle energy from start to finish.

Non-F1 fans might find themselves slightly adrift, missing some of the clever cameos and Easter eggs sprinkled throughout. But for diehard Formula 1 enthusiasts, this film is a high-octane joyride – and just maybe, a contender for one of the standout movies of the year.

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