Lewis Hamilton ensures the upcoming F1 film captures racing’s raw realism, with Pitt and Idris behind the wheel in real conditions.
This month (on June 25), the highly anticipated film F1 The Movie will debut in theaters. Alongside Brad Pitt, Lewis Hamilton is the most well-known figure involved in this major production: the Ferrari driver serves as co-producer and also provided technical input to the teams (after all, who better than him…).
As the project nears completion, Lewis Hamilton spoke to the official F1 website about what has likely been a one-of-a-kind experience in his career: working as a producer and special advisor on a blockbuster film.
“Being involved in this project as a producer has been such an incredible learning experience for me—seeing everything that goes into making a feature film—and there was also a lot of learning on the other side, as everyone got more familiar with Formula 1.”
“I remember at the beginning of the project, I got to meet Brad and go over the script, attend meetings with the Apple and F1 teams, and be part of some of the early casting processes. From those first conversations to seeing it all come to life, it’s been a super cool experience and I can’t wait for everyone to see it!”
Fans will no doubt point out any lack of realism in the film’s finer details. But Lewis Hamilton, while thanking Liberty Media, insists this will be the most realistic F1 film ever made—thanks in part to his guidance.
“The access we had to Formula 1 was totally unprecedented—we actually filmed during race weekends with the film’s 11th team, APXGP—and you’ll definitely see that authenticity come through in the movie.”
“Footage captured throughout the race calendar will be integrated into the film and enhanced using digital techniques to insert the movie team’s cars into real race scenes, so it’ll really look authentic to fans of the sport.”
“But they also truly welcomed my input on the smallest details—like the sounds a car makes at a certain spot on the track or how a crash might happen. That’s what Joe [Kosinski, director] and Jerry [Bruckheimer, producer] wanted from the very beginning—to make the most authentic racing film ever made.”
What specific technological or filmmaking innovations will help make the movie feel realistic? Lewis Hamilton highlights a revolutionary new camera system…
“The development of technology. The placement of the cameras.”
“They developed this camera system that’s so different, so much more advanced than what you see when watching a race on a weekend. The footage is much more raw, so when you watch the movie, you really feel like you’re in the car and going at super high speeds.”
Driving as Close to Reality as Possible for Pitt and Idris?
Lewis Hamilton also worked alongside Brad Pitt: so how did the two global stars collaborate? Is Pitt a good driver for an actor?
“I never thought I’d work with Brad Pitt one day. I’m a big fan of his movies, and I think the first time I met him was in Jerry’s office via Zoom, which was already pretty wild—but then we went to a track, and I found out how passionate he is about motorsport, especially bikes, and I saw the natural talent he had behind the wheel. It was really cool.”
“I remember we were both at the Silverstone circuit, at Copse, and I was showing him what I look for when approaching that corner, and we talked about how drivers are ultimately elite athletes, and how much goes into racing that people don’t see—the G-forces and everything our bodies endure, the rigorous training we have to do to be able to compete in these races.”
“He was really interested in that level of detail so he could bring as much authenticity as possible to his role.”
Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, the film’s two leads, actually got behind the wheel while real F1 cars were on the grid. For Lewis Hamilton, that full-scale experience was crucial.
“Having Brad and Damson behind the wheel was essential to the story’s authenticity because, throughout my career, I’ve told people how tough racing is, and they’d ask me things like, ‘How much weight do you lose?’ or ‘What bruises do you have after a race?’ or ‘Wait—you don’t have air conditioning in the car?’”
“It’s super demanding. And yes, we can lose up to 5 kilos [10 pounds] during a race. So I think the fact that these two actors went through the mental challenges we face as race drivers—the speed at which you process information, the physical toll, the braking power, the G-forces…”
“That was really important for them because you can’t simulate that. If you haven’t lived it, you can’t imagine it. By driving those cars—and they both did a great job—I think they both gained a real appreciation of what it truly means to be a race driver, and that’s what you’ll see in the film.”
“There’s so much authenticity, and you really feel the speed, the competition between the drivers, and how hungry they are for victory—it feels like everything is on the line.”
“There are only 20 of us in the world who drive in Formula 1, and this will let people live that experience and give everyone a chance to feel what it’s like to be behind the wheel of one of our cars. Honestly, I’m really excited.”