F1 Film Elevates Realism Features Modified F2s

Brad Pitt’s ‘F1’ film sets a new realism standard, featuring Mercedes-developed, modified F2 cars.

“F1”: such is the straightforward title of the film co-produced by Brad Pitt and Jerry Bruckheimer, and directed by Joseph Kosinski (director of Top Gun: Maverick). The film will hit screens next year.

The lead actors, Brad Pitt himself and Damson Idris, will play two drivers of the fictional APXGP team.

The first teaser was revealed during the last UK Grand Prix. A teaser that showcases the film crew’s focus on a highly realistic and immersive approach, working closely with the 10 F1 teams. And of course, with Lewis Hamilton as the star consultant.

Co-producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinski answered Deadline’s questions about the filming and the numerous issues of realism and logistics that the film’s ambition requires.

To recall, the film will feature a fictional team APXGP, and some shooting took place during actual F1 weekends, notably at the 2023 UK Grand Prix.

Director Joseph Kosinski also gave details on this last shooting scene. With the pressure it involves, as the F1 circus only comes to Silverstone once a year!

“Last year, at Silverstone, we filmed a scene on the grid. I believe we had about nine minutes to shoot a one or one-and-a-half-page dialogue scene with three actors. It’s like a pit stop. It really brings an intensity, and everyone moves in a way that might not happen on a normal shooting day on a set, where you have 10 hours to get it right. Now, when you have nine minutes, with all the actors, you can see the adrenaline building beforehand, and it shows in the performances.”

In total, the film crew visited almost 10 different circuits to shoot scenes. So, which circuits will be shown on screen?

“We went to the 24 Hours of Daytona, which is obviously not a Formula 1 race, but it’s a race we filmed that will make sense when people see the film. Then, we have: Silverstone, Hungary, Spa (Belgium), Monza (Italy), Zandvoort (Netherlands), Japan, Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, and Mexico.”

“The logistics of this project are unlike anything I’ve done before. We’re filming during the Grands Prix, and for some aspects of the film, we are working within very, very tight deadlines, filming on the track, between free practice and qualifying sessions, in front of hundreds of thousands of people.”

How to be realistic while remaining accessible?

The film presents many other challenges. For instance, how to maintain a sense of speed on screen, when obviously, the actors will not be driving as fast as a fully fit Max Verstappen…

“Brad and Damson are driving the cars, which is quite spectacular in itself, but doing so in front of an audience, at the speed they do, and finding a way to capture that? It’s a challenge,” confirms Joseph Kosinski.

On screen, however, we will not see real F1 cars. Indeed, the cars the actors will be driving are modified F2s: Kosinski explains why.

“We worked with Mercedes and it was actually Toto Wolff’s idea. They all complain that racing movies are not fast enough because usually, when they build these cars, they are movie cars. You know, they look good, but they are not real racing cars.”

“At one of our first meetings, Toto said, ‘You should build this car from a Formula 2, but make it look like a Formula 1,’ so it’s a Formula 2 chassis and engine. We worked closely with Mercedes, their design team, and aerodynamicists to develop a custom body that looks like the latest generation of Formula 1. These cars were specially built for this film. They also come with 15 camera mounts. They are made for filming, but they are fundamentally racing cars.”

“The most important thing is to tell a beautiful and emotional story, that’s always the priority, but going back to the initial conversations with Lewis, he said that there hasn’t yet been a film that truly captures what it’s like to be in a Formula 1 car, so that was a goal, to put the audience in one of these incredible machines,” confirms Jerry Bruckheimer.

And to drive these modified F2s, Brad Pitt and Damson Idris underwent real athletic training, step by step.

“We trained Brad for nearly three months – Brad and Damson – in different cars. They started in Formula 3, then moved up to Formula 2. Lewis says they are really great; they are natural athletes. He was very impressed by them, by their driving.”

“At this level of performance, yes, we had to make adaptations. We designed custom cameras, very small and very light, so as not to overly impede the performance of the car, which is essential because you don’t want to have a racing car and load it with significant weight. Our camera mounts were also designed by Mercedes.”

All the drivers on screen?

In the teaser, we notably see Günther Steiner make an appearance. Drivers such as Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz might also appear.

Will all drivers be on screen according to Kosinski?

“Yes, they all play their own roles. We integrate into this world, so the drivers are what they are in these races [in the film].”

“We are the eleventh team, we are at the back of the pack in an incredible field of teams. We see the drivers on the track and we hope to see them off the track as well.”

Bruckheimer confirms: the actors in the film will also be the current 20 drivers on the grid.

“These drivers are chosen because they are phenomenal, for F1 they have to be incredible, and they are charismatic and present well, because they represent a brand. They are like movie stars, it’s the same thing. There are so many similarities with our world.”