The team even built six custom race cars and a mobile garage, traveling with them to nine different Formula One races. “We were truly embedded in the F1 world,” Bruckheimer said. “Real tracks, real teams, real drivers—everything was as real as it could be
Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt isn’t just playing a Formula One driver in F1 – The Movie—he’s living the role. From driving real F1-style cars at 180 mph to winning over die-hard motorsport fans, Pitt has gone all in to ensure the film captures the spirit and thrill of one of the world’s most elite sports. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Pitt himself have now shared insights into what makes the upcoming movie a truly immersive experience.
Known for producing massive blockbusters such as Pearl Harbor and Pirates of the Caribbean, Bruckheimer is backing F1 – The Movie, which he describes as not only visually exhilarating but also deeply emotional and romantic. Speaking exclusively to IANS, Bruckheimer said the idea to make a feature film about Formula One stemmed from the sport’s sheer intensity and exclusivity.
“It’s a phenomenal sport,” he said. “There are only ten teams with two drivers each. It’s the only sport where your teammate is also your competitor. These athletes are going 220 miles an hour. They’re basically sitting in rockets on a road course. It’s filled with drama and excitement.”
To ensure the film’s authenticity, the producers turned to seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, who came on board as a producer. His involvement kept the project grounded in the realities of Formula One. “He made sure we got everything accurate,” Bruckheimer said.
Brad Pitt’s own dedication elevated that realism. From the outset, the Oscar-winning actor made one condition clear: he would do the film only if he could drive the cars himself. Hamilton put Pitt through a rigorous test, taking him to the track and into a powerful race car. He was impressed. “Lewis said, ‘He’s an amazing athlete—he can do this,’” Bruckheimer recalled.

Once filming began, Pitt took the wheel—literally. Every scene of him driving in the film is real. “There’s no blue screen, no green screen, no visual effects. Brad is actually doing the driving, hitting 180 miles per hour and braking down to 50. They were hitting 5Gs in the corners. It was brutal, but he handled it.”
The team even built six custom race cars and a mobile garage, traveling with them to nine different Formula One races. “We were truly embedded in the F1 world,” Bruckheimer said. “Real tracks, real teams, real drivers—everything was as real as it could be.”
But beyond the high-speed thrills, F1 – The Movie is also an emotional journey. “It’s a wonderful story. It’s romantic, it’s funny, and it’s very exciting. You feel the vibration of the cars, but ultimately, it’s the emotion that carries the film,” Bruckheimer said.
For Pitt, the experience wasn’t just about performance—it was deeply personal. Speaking to ‘Extra’, he admitted that winning over the motorsport community meant everything to him. “If we didn’t pass their bar, then we were dead, you know? And to get that kind of response means a lot to us. We have so much respect for these drivers, for the sport, for the teams—they made the movie too,” he said.
Pitt was confident the film would resonate with both longtime F1 fans and newcomers. “I felt pretty confident in what we have. We threaded that needle between authenticity for fans and accessibility for newcomers. I think they had fun too—it’s just really good fun,” he added.
The actor recalled filming at Silverstone in the UK, including scenes shot during the British Grand Prix. “We had been rehearsing there for a few weeks, so it kind of felt like home. But when the whole race movement comes in, it’s such a juggernaut. It’s awe-inspiring,” he said. “To get on the track with 100,000 fans—I was a little nervous. Actually, no—it was a high. Once you get going, it’s a high.”
With a career spanning over three decades and starring roles in films like The Big Short, Ocean’s Eleven, and Troy, Pitt says working on F1 – The Movie has re-energised him in unexpected ways. “Doing this this long and finding something that felt like starting over—it was so full of passion. It gave me a feeling I’ve never had before. It was just sublime. I’m pretty grateful to Joe Kosinski for coming up with this,” he said, referring to the film’s director.

Directed by Kosinski, who helmed Top Gun: Maverick, and produced by Apple Original Films, Warner Bros. Pictures, Monolith Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Plan B Entertainment, and Dawn Apollo Films, F1 – The Movie is set to hit theatres in India on June 27. It will release in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
With Pitt driving real cars, Hamilton guiding the story’s authenticity, and the crew embedded within the actual F1 circuit, F1 – The Movie promises a rare blend of adrenaline and emotion—offering fans an immersive cinematic ride into the fast, unforgiving world of Formula One.