An adrenaline-fuelled film that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats for two hours and thirty-six minutes. F1 The Movie is a love letter to motorsport – both to the on-track action and to the strategy and engineering work taking place behind the scenes.
You’ll need to accept the film’s premise: that a driver who hasn’t raced since the 1990s returns to the cockpit after thirty years, because his former teammate – now the owner of a struggling F1 team – sees him as the last hope to salvage a failed investment. But the film doesn’t ignore this oddity; it acknowledges it and makes use of it. It’s not the only suspension of disbelief required from the audience, but that’s to be expected from a cinematic production which, while thoroughly researched and largely faithful to the world of Formula 1, isn’t a documentary.
The work put into making it feel authentic is extraordinary – supported by the involvement of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton as one of the producers. The inclusion of journalists, team principals, and drivers, along with filming during real Grands Prix with fans in attendance and on actual circuits, results in a visually stunning experience. Fans will enjoy spotting familiar locations and cameos throughout.
The film portrays a version of Formula 1 pushed to the extreme – not the usual Sunday racing, where, however competitive, drivers rarely cross certain lines. For this very reason, the film will both astonish seasoned fans and captivate those who’ve never watched a Grand Prix.
The driver duo – rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) and “the greatest that never was” Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) – works well, both on track and in terms of acting. It’s refreshing and mature to see their rivalry not lead to destruction, but instead evolve into a shared commitment to the success of the Apex Grand Prix team. The characters start as opposites but gradually come to understand and respect one another, growing alongside the rest of the team who also improve thanks to their influence.
Also mature is the romantic subplot between Sonny and Kate (Kerry Condon), the team’s technical director responsible for car design and performance. Though the relationship drew criticism on social media after the trailer’s release, it unfolds gradually and respectfully throughout the film, without compromising their professional roles.
The racing sequences and on-track action are breath-taking, and the soundtrack (or deliberate lack of it) heightens the tension even further. Several great tracks have been created to accompany the story, though not all are given the spotlight they deserve – at times, they pass by quickly, with only snippets heard.
From Apple Original Films and the filmmakers behind Top Gun: Maverick comes F1 The Movie, directed by Joseph Kosinski, in theaters from Friday 27 June, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Read the Italian review: Una lettera d’amore alla Formula 1, all’azione in pista e al lavoro dietro le quinte
