Brad Pitt is swapping red carpets for redline in F1, a new racing blockbuster from Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski, with a brand new trailer that’s already revving up interest.
Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a once-promising Formula One talent from the 1990s whose career was abruptly halted by a crash.
Decades later, he’s coaxed out of obscurity to help a faltering team (APXGP) run by his old teammate Ruben Cervantes, played by Javier Bardem.
But it’s far from a smooth return. Sonny’s arrival sparks friction with APXGP’s young ace, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), who isn’t thrilled about sharing the garage with a washed-up veteran.
With the team teetering on collapse, the pair are forced into an uneasy alliance. If they can’t find common ground (and speed) - the entire outfit could go bust.
Real F1 cameos and real driving, too
While the story leans into redemption and rivalry tropes, the film ups its authenticity with appearances from real-world drivers, including Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. It’s not just a quick cutaway either - Hamilton is reportedly involved behind the scenes, and race sequences were shot at actual Grand Prix events.
Damson Idris shared his awe during filming: “I look to my left, it’s Brad Pitt. I look to my right, it’s Javier Bardem. I look at my hands, they’re shaking.” He also praised Pitt’s unexpected driving chops, adding, “He is really good behind that car. Really good. Too good, almost.”
Not just a vanity project
This isn’t Pitt playing racer with a green screen and a wind machine. Word is, he’s done most of the driving himself, trained extensively, and took on serious track time. Hopefully he got some time behind the wheel of the new movie-inspired Mercedes-AMG GT 64 APXGP Edition. Co-stars include Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies and Kim Bodina, with Ethan Kruger - also from Maverick - on script duties.
F1 hits cinemas June 27th. If the trailer’s any indication, expect a mix of petrolhead set-pieces, big-screen spectacle, and a few old-dog-versus-new-blood fireworks. Stay tuned to DRIVEN Car Guide in the coming weeks and you just might get a chance to snag yourself a pair of tickets to a local screening.