Brad Pitt’s measured approach behind the wheel made him the safer, smarter choice for the high-speed thrills of the film F1.
Joseph Kosinski, director of the film F1, set to be released in France on June 25, worked with Tom Cruise on Top Gun: Maverick before meeting Brad Pitt for the Formula 1 project. In hindsight, he’s glad Cruise wasn’t brought on for this film.
Tom Thrills, Brad Calms
“Tom always pushes the limits, but he’s also highly capable and skilled,” Kosinski told GQ magazine. “Both of them have a natural talent for driving. But yes, I could imagine Tom making us a little more nervous.”
Brad Listens, Tom Risks
Graham Kelly, the vehicle supervisor who has worked with both Cruise and Pitt on F1, echoed Kosinski’s sentiment: “We would’ve had an accident. Tom pushes the car to the edge. I mean really to the edge. It terrifies me.”
“I mean, I’ve done a lot of Mission: Impossible with Tom and it’s the most stressful experience for someone like me, who builds cars for him and does stunts with him. Whereas Brad listens and knows his limits, and I think he’d be the first to say, ‘I’m not going to do that.’”
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Brad Pitt Ignored Limits
Luciano Bacheta, a former FIA Formula 2 champion, oversaw the speed during filming, but Brad Pitt admitted he didn’t initially follow Bacheta’s speed recommendations.
“Yeah, I didn’t heed the speed limit warning. I got carried away, unnecessarily. It was pretty funny in the end. And then, when they finally lifted the limits, trusted us, and let us go for it, everything went smoothly.”
The actor was struck by how the single-seaters—built using F2 chassis—perform better as they pick up speed and aerodynamic downforce begins to kick in.
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Faster Means More Control
“The idea of going 300 km/h on a highway seems absolutely reckless and dangerous—something you’d never want to do. But with these machines, the faster you go, the more everything starts to work.”
Lewis Hamilton described Brad Pitt as “already a competitor at heart,” while the film’s producer, Jeremy Kleiner, praised the actor, saying he “has a physiological makeup suited for driving.”
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