Actors Brad Pitt and Damson Idris trained as drivers, filming high-speed scenes in real F2 cars on live Grand Prix circuits.
The upcoming F1 movie, produced by Hollywood heavyweight Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Joe Kosinski, is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious racing films ever made. Set to hit theaters in June, the film stars Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and Javier Bardem — and yes, the actors actually drove real race cars on real F1 tracks.
Kosinski, known for Top Gun: Maverick, began the project by reaching out to someone who knows the sport inside and out: seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff: Key Collaborators
“The first thing I did was call Lewis Hamilton,” said Kosinski. “He lives and breathes this sport. I asked him to partner with me on the film, and having him on board gave me an incredible way into the world of Formula 1.”
Hamilton introduced Kosinski to Mercedes-AMG team principal Toto Wolff, who didn’t just support the idea — he contributed a game-changing solution.
“Instead of building a prop car that could barely keep up,” explained Kosinski, “Toto suggested we use real race cars — actual F2 machines — and retrofit them with camera equipment. It was brilliant.”
In total, they purchased six Formula 2 cars and worked with Mercedes engineers to modify them to carry cameras, transmitters, and recording gear. “Every time you see Brad or Damson behind the wheel, they’re really driving — on real circuits — in real race cars,” said Kosinski.
Miniature Cameras, Maximum Realism
One of the biggest technical challenges was filming at high speeds without disrupting the cars’ performance. Kosinski took lessons from Top Gun: Maverick, where he had used advanced camera rigs, but knew they had to go smaller — much smaller.
“You can’t slap 30 kilograms of gear onto a race car and expect it to perform the same,” he said. “So we teamed up with Sony to shrink our cameras down to a quarter of their size.”
The result? Ultra-light, cinema-grade cameras mounted onto real F2 cars, with remote controls, motorized rigs, and real-time video transmission. “I sit at base camp with Claudio Miranda, our cinematographer, monitoring 16 screens,” Kosinski explained. “We’re literally directing camera moves live, like it’s a broadcast.”
A Film Years in the Making
Creating this level of realism took years of R&D, not to mention training actors to handle actual race cars, coordinating with live events, and blending high-speed action with cinematic storytelling.
“It’s been a massive technical and creative journey,” Kosinski said. “But the goal has always been the same — to capture the true speed and intensity of Formula 1 like never before.”
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Brad Pitt Takes the Wheel in Bold F1 Film Project
Brad Pitt Takes the Wheel in Bold F1 Film Project
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