F1: The Movie

Being somewhat of a casual motor racing fan who has enjoyed quite a few films on the subject, the news of a modern F1 film featuring the current drivers and teams of today was a tantalising prospect indeed. The sport continues to grow in popularity as technical wizards put together intricately designed cars for their drivers to go as fast as possible so the interest was there but would even a casual fan have to put aside their understanding of F1 in order to enjoy 2025's F1: The Movie?

The story here follows a fictional, down-on-on-their-luck backmarker team run by Javier Bardem's CEO who is trying to turn their fortunes around or he is kicked-out. One of their drivers has potential but he needs someone with experience to try and turn things around so enter the veteran driver, Sonny Hayes, played by Brad Pitt, who has a history with F1 and who just might be the guy to change the team's fortunes. Mixing the hot-headed youngster with a veteran years older than anyone else on the grid, can they make this Hail Mary idea come to fruition? 

From director Joseph Kosinski and the same team who gave us Top Gun: Maverick, the aim here was to bring the same sense of action caught in camera from fighter jets to F1 racing cars. I initially thought this concept might not work as the sport already provides highspeed racing with cameras in the driver's helmets and around the rest of the car to capture the action but it's safe to say Kosinski and the team really do succeed in capturing the thrill and spectacle of the sport in this highly enjoyable film. 

Some fans though will find how this plays fast and loose with actual rules to cause the odd eye-roll. The film is also surprisingly distant from the real drivers, owing to the complex agreements to let the filming take place around two seasons of the sport, and so at times it does feel detached. There is the odd fun moment when the two fictional drivers rub shoulders with the real drivers and teams but these moments are far and few between. It will stop the film from feeling too dated in the years to come as the grid changes but will be a nit-pick for some fans.

But with that all aside, F1: The Movie is just a really good time through and through in that old Hollywood way. And this should come as no surprise when we have producer Jerry Bruckheimer at the helm to has overseen countless fan favourite films over the last three decades. The cast are great, the racing is thrilling to watch and it will leave a smile on your face. Was their room from improvement? I'd say so but I had a blast and will be sure to rewatch this in the years to come as Kosinski has made another highly entertaining experience.