F1 Movie Teaser: What are we in for in the Brad Pitt racing film?

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Image: Warner Bros. / Apple Original Films / F1 via YouTube
A brand new movie set in Formula One is coming in summer of 2025, starring Brad Pitt. The first teaser to the simply-titled 'F1' gives a taste of what awaits.

There is no denying that Formula One has risen to an even bigger worldwide popularity than it already had in the last few years. The 'Drive to Survive' docuseries is often given credit for getting new fans into the sport, and the upcoming movie - simly titled 'F1' - is another testament to this.

Starring Brad Pitt, the film is set to debut on June 25, 2025 (June 27 in the US). Its plot outline is told rather swiftly: Pitt's character Sonny Hayes, who raced in F1 in the 1990s but retired after a major crash, is asked to come back to mentor Joshua Pearce (played by Damson Idris) at the Apex Grand Prix Team. So far, so similar to the Silvester Stallone arc of Joe Tanto coming out of retirement to mentor Jimmy Bly in 2001's CART movie 'Driven' - which is not exactly the second coming of 1966's 'Grand Prix', to put it mildly.

Assuming that Hayes last raced in F1 in 1999 and the movie is set in 2025 indeed, he would make his comeback after 26 years away from the sport. If that seems a bit excessive to you, we do not blame you. For reference, the record of the longest gap between Grand Prix starts is held by Jan Lammers at slightly over 10 years. The Dutchman had raced in his home Grand Prix for Theodore in 1982, getting his final shot at F1 for the final rounds of the 1992 season with the struggling March team.


"Who said anything about safe?"​

Anyway, eyebrow-raising statistics aside, let's look at what the teaser actually showed us. 'F1' scenes have been shot at actual races in 2023, and with the actual Formula One backing the film, all the teams, drivers and other personnel fans already know are there. Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, the Hungaroring and Monza feature prominently in the teaser, mostly in the driving scenes. We have to say: The wide-angle onboard shots do look cool, as they give an increased sense of speed.

The teaser does not give away much regarding the storyline, only really touching upon it at the very start. Pitt's character lists Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin, and McLaren as having "the speed on the straights." APXGP's shot: "We need to build a car for combat" to take it to the competition in the turns. Hayes' cheesy reply to what we can only assume to be the constructor of the car (played by Kerry Condon) wondering how to make that safe is "Who said anything about safe?"

No further dialogue features in the teaser, but we are treated to Queen's 'We Will Rock You' instead. Shots alternate between the pit crews, Hayes getting ready to get in the car on the grid, crews on the pit wall (including a Günther Steiner cameo in which he gets flipped the bird), and on-track action.


Story Does Not Seem To Be A Strength​

And let's face it: The latter is most likely the most important aspect, at least to racing fans. Sure, a good plot adds to any film, but 1971's 'Le Mans' - generally regarded as one of the greatest racing movies ever made - hardly has any. Aside from the race itself, that is. And personally, the story in the aforementioned 'Grand Prix' is not exactly why I rewatch that movie from time to time - it is all about the portrayal of the racing itself.

Judging from the scenes in the teaser, this could be 'F1's strength. The camera angles used for the on-track clips pulls the viewer in to be in the middle of the action, without any overdone effects that we could spot in this teaser, anyway. Since F1 supports the film, we should assume that they would want a decent portrayal of their own series on the big screen - whether or not that is actually the case, we will see once more teasers and trailers of the film are published leading up to its premiere.

What are your first impressions of the 'F1' movie teaser? Are you looking forward to the film? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
About author
Yannik Haustein
Lifelong motorsport enthusiast and sim racing aficionado, walking racing history encyclopedia.

Sim racing editor, streamer and one half of the SimRacing Buddies podcast (warning, German!).

Heel & Toe Gang 4 life :D

Comments

Looking forward to lots of scenes of gear shifting flaps being touched and pressed, and brakes being pressed with way more range, steering being turned way more than it actually gets IRL. Totally unrealistic drifts. Lots of buttons pressing. Intense moments of disobeying race engineer. Also deadly staredowns right into braking zones. Some insanely underdeveloped CGI. All kinds of people being fairly represented except grid girls. Scenes of halo saving lives. Also glamorizing F1 a lot.
 
It's a bit cringe worthy watching Pitt and his teammate standing with the real F1 drivers on the grid. A 60-year-old F1 driver! Really!! But then again, maybe there is hope for Hamilton and Alonso to stick around another 20 years!
 
the opening line is so cringy. Then there is an hot female Newey-style, a woman mechanic, an afro quota and asian respected. A 60 years old man driving a F1 car (see? Nando is a new talent after all). There are all the ingredients for a festival of cringe. But there is Gunther! SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY
 
A few Intense racing scenes and Brad Pitt are the bait to a movie that will shove agendas down your throat. Overcoming Systematic racism and fighting The Patriarchy will be the main focus of this movie from Apple. Expect scenes of the black driver listening to rap music in the paddock as the evil white drivers look with disgust, and expect the Mary Sue to have her revolutionary ideas questioned by the old white men who don't take her seriously. And we all know there is going to be a shout out to the Rainbow brigade.
 
I understand Steve McQueen was forced by the studio to include some kind of story in 'Le Mans' in order for it to be released. And we got 'Le Mans' because John Frankenheimer beat McQueen to an F1-themed movie back in the sixties... this is what could have been, instead of 'Grand Prix':

It is always a good idea to have a story in a movie before its release... ;)

In another documentary about the movie, it's explained that McQueen wanted a documentary, basically. The plot was the least of his concerns. Shooting started without a script. McQueen was such a huge star at that time that he could get away with that. The original director gave up eventually and was replaced by Lee Katzin.

In the end, the movie was trashed by the critics, with one calling it "Petit Prix" (that one must have stung, considering that McQueen was intensely jealous of Frankenheimer's movie.) I own a blu-ray of Le Mans and I must admit that unless you love old race cars, it is really a terrible flick.
 
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A few Intense racing scenes and Brad Pitt are the bait to a movie that will shove agendas down your throat. Overcoming Systematic racism and fighting The Patriarchy will be the main focus of this movie from Apple. Expect scenes of the black driver listening to rap music in the paddock as the evil white drivers look with disgust, and expect the Mary Sue to have her revolutionary ideas questioned by the old white men who don't take her seriously. And we all know there is going to be a shout out to the Rainbow brigade.
You're very easily triggered, aren't you? :roflmao:

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It's a bit cringe worthy watching Pitt and his teammate standing with the real F1 drivers on the grid. A 60-year-old F1 driver! Really!! But then again, maybe there is hope for Hamilton and Alonso to stick around another 20 years!
But he looks 35 xD
 
I would love it if this turned out well, but I have my doubts. The casting already looks silly with Brad Pitt driving. They should have cast him as the team owner. I'm getting Driven vibes from this, and we all know how bad that movie was. I just hope we don't see Brad Pitt chasing the other driver through the streets of London in a F1 car with no helmet on. The production on the trailer looks ok, but if the story sucks, then I think it will suck. The only really good racing movies I have seen are Grand Prix, Ford vs Ferrari, and Rush, the rest have been mediocre to just plain garbage. Let's hope this one can rise above.
 
Premium
But he looks 35 xD
I will point out, the synopsis refers to his character having had a crash in the 90s. So since it seems to be set in modern day, that is at least a 25 year difference between race starts.

Up from Jan Lammers' record of about 10 years between race starts.
 
At first, after looking at the title of the topic, and then at the photo, I thought it was an autobiographical shot about the Mercedes team. Where I thought Bottas (Brad Pitt) and Hamilton (Demson Idris) were. I'm looking forward to this movie, even though I'm not a fan of Formula 1 and Mercedes
 
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Sorry for essay! But this is only my opinion! :) I love reading others!

Grand prix is possibly the only realistic movie on racing, only due to the lack of story line ( Due too no season in any F1 era has any storylines to merit a movie plot! ) and, dare i say, the lack of 'Hollywoodness'!! But because of this, it is just a spectacle of the era. It shows more of what that era was, a gentlemen's club, before sponsorship dictated on how drivers and teams had to represented themselves. And it showed it well with the racing shots and the scenes of tragedies. "Le Mans" was just a 'Docu-drama'!! No dialogue, just racing clips with a famous actor!
Days of Thunder somehow worked, i don't know how. But it took away realism and placed with pure Hollywood and got away with it! Lol!!! But i think it suited the time it was released.
Driven was mockery of racing. Pure insult. So glad Bernie Ecclestone turned down Stallone for a F1 movie!!!
Rush was again, just ok for me. The casting was pretty much perfect! But not real life. Extremely over exaggerated. Hunt and Lauda were "Rivals" but were very good friends and also lived together at one point. And hated Simon Taylor as the commentator. Plus seeing the director not knowing anything. I hated the Nordschleife race scene. I think Hunt pitted, and showed where Lauda was, and he was at the first carousel, but only was only ahead by a few seconds ahead of Hunt when pitted! To me, that showed a director that had no knowledge of the circuit and didn't care to research it!!! Lol!
Gran Turismo. I turned the film off after 30 mins. I love the real story behind it and saddened behind the tragedy at the Nordshleife and the family of the deceased.But as a fellow sim racer, this guy was the bees knees at the sim, but the film showed him with the racing line on and his competitors acting like the AI set at zero!!! then there was Legolas seriously over acting and a cliché bad guy driver ( Like Days of Thunder, but this was supposed to be a true story ). My brother loved it.
For this new film, it's going to be a mix of Gran Turismo and Rush. No reality, but with a view cool shots. But please, a 60 year old driver????? Lewis Hamilton has said this is going to be the most realistic motorsport film??? My last comment ruins that already. :( This may work, but i don't think this will be a Days of Thunder ( As i know it's a team that won't win or something ).
Sorry again, had a few drinks, but needed to say my piece. But again, it's only an opinion. :)
I could also say i missed the film "Ferrari", I didn't care for his personal life, that is not for us to know or care about, like most gossip, i only care what he did for his company. Some of the scenes were depicted were quite good and may i say, graphic, which sometimes needs to be shown.
Ford Vs Ferrari was good, equally as good a Grand Prix, but had it's "Holllywoodness" to it!!! Lol!!!!
 
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:rolleyes:
Sorry for essay! But this is only my opinion! :) I love reading others!

Grand prix is possibly the only realistic movie on racing, only due to the lack of story line ( Due too no season in any F1 era has any storylines to merit a movie plot! ) and, dare i say, the lack of 'Hollywoodness'!! But because of this, it is just a spectacle of the era. It shows more of what that era was, a gentlemen's club, before sponsorship dictated on how drivers and teams had to represented themselves. And it showed it well with the racing shots and the scenes of tragedies. "Le Mans" was just a 'Docu-drama'!! No dialogue, just racing clips with a famous actor!
Days of Thunder somehow worked, i don't know how. But it took away realism and placed with pure Hollywood and got away with it! Lol!!! But i think it suited the time it was released.
Driven was mockery of racing. Pure insult. So glad Bernie Ecclestone turned down Stallone for a F1 movie!!!
Rush was again, just ok for me. The casting was pretty much perfect! But not real life. Extremely over exaggerated. Hunt and Lauda were "Rivals" but were very good friends and also lived together at one point. And hated Simon Taylor as the commentator. Plus seeing the director not knowing anything. I hated the Nordschleife race scene. I think Hunt pitted, and showed where Lauda was, and he was at the first carousel, but only was only ahead by a few seconds ahead of Hunt when pitted! To me, that showed a director that had no knowledge of the circuit and didn't care to research it!!! Lol!
Gran Turismo. I turned the film off after 30 mins. I love the real story behind it and saddened behind the tragedy at the Nordshleife and the family of the deceased.But as a fellow sim racer, this guy was the bees knees at the sim, but the film showed him with the racing line on and his competitors acting like the AI set at zero!!! then there was Legolas seriously over acting and a cliché bad guy driver ( Like Days of Thunder, but this was supposed to be a true story ). My brother loved it.
For this new film, it's going to be a mix of Gran Turismo and Rush. No reality, but with a view cool shots. But please, a 60 year old driver????? Lewis Hamilton has said this is going to be the most realistic motorsport film??? My last comment ruins that already. :( This may work, but i don't think this will be a Days of Thunder ( As i know it's a team that won't win or something ).
Sorry again, had a few drinks, but needed to say my piece. But again, it's only an opinion. :)
I absolutely agree with you:cool: Tell me, what do you say about the film "Michel Vaillant"? I'm interested in your opinion. And yes, I had a few drinks too :D
 
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:rolleyes:

I absolutely agree with you:cool: Tell me, what do you say about the film "Michel Vaillant"? I'm interested in your opinion. And yes, I had a few drinks too :D
I'll look into it for sure! :) Thank you for the suggestion!
I could also say i missed the film "Ferrari", I didn't care for his personal life, that is not for us to know or care about, like most gossip, i only care what he did for his company. Some of the scenes were depicted were quite good and may i say, graphic, which sometimes needs to be shown.
Ford Vs Ferrari was good, equally as good a Grand Prix, but had it's "Holllywoodness" to it!!! Lol!!!!
 
I'll look into it for sure! :) Thank you for the suggestion!
I could also say i missed the film "Ferrari", I didn't care for his personal life, that is not for us to know or care about, like most gossip, i only care what he did for his company. Some of the scenes were depicted were quite good and may i say, graphic, which sometimes needs to be shown.
Ford Vs Ferrari was good, equally as good a Grand Prix, but had it's "Holllywoodness" to it!!! Lol!!!!
You're cool, man! It's nice to meet someone who is on the same wave with you (I hope I put it right).
 

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