F1: The Movie - A Deep Dive

F1: The Movie - Movie Review

Director: Joseph Kosinski the cinematic brains behind Top Gun: Maverick

Writer(s): Screenplay by Ehren Kruger; story by Kruger and Kosinski

Cast:

Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes
Damson Idris as rookie Joshua Pearce
Javier Bardem as Ruben Cervantes
Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Kim Bodnia, Sarah Niles, Abdul Salis, Callie Cooke, Shea Whigham, and more

Genre: Sports drama, action

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Duration: 155 minutes (~2 h 35 m)

Release Date: June 27, 2025 (US theatrical); later streaming

Budget: Estimated between $200–300 million

Rating (Box Office): Grossed about $613.8 million making it the highest-earning auto-racing film ever, Apple Studios’ biggest hit, and Brad Pitt’s career champ

About the Movie and Production

F1: The Movie tells the story of Sonny Hayes, once a rising star in Formula 1 racing during the ’90s. A violent crash derailed his career. Thirty years later, he’s living a nomadic, unsteady life until his old teammate and now team owner, Ruben Cervantes, ropes him into helping save APXGP, a failing F1 team. Sonny joins forces with a cocky rookie, Joshua Pearce, as they chase a miracle finish in a season that’s all but lost .

Production was a big deal. Kosinski, Kruger, and Bruckheimer reunited from Top Gun: Maverick. Lewis Hamilton came on board as both producer and in an advisory capacity, helping the filmmakers get real access to Grand Prix circles, drivers, and real-world infrastructure and appear on screen where possible .

Filming happened during actual Grand Prix weekends not on closed sets so they captured real-world F1 energy and visuals. Cinematography by Claudio Miranda leaned on practical camera work and minimal CGI to make the racing scenes feel visceral, intense, and authentic .

The soundtrack is equally ambitious: Hans Zimmer provided the score, and the soundtrack album includes names like Doja Cat, Ed Sheeran, Burna Boy, Rosé, Tiësto, Raye, Myke Towers, and morea broad, eclectic mix that mirrors the film’s global and high-octane spirit .

So yes, it’s high budget, high ambition, and plenty of real-world F1 pedigree weaving fact and fiction together. It’s not a true story, but it draws from real drivers’ experiences like Martin Donnelly’s near-fatal crash to inform Sonny’s journey .

Plot Summary and Overview

Sonny Hayes, once hailed as “the greatest that never was,” retired after a brutal crash in the ’90s sans a championship. Fast forward three decades, he’s drifting along. Meanwhile, Ruben Cervantesa former rival and now owner of APXGPis scrambling to keep the team afloat financially. Their car sucks, they haven’t scored a point, and investors are breathing down their necks.

Ruben brings Sonny back as a Hail Mary play. Sonny pairs up with their young hotshot, Joshua Pearcetalented but immature and together they have to pull off at least one win to stop a board coup led by Peter Banning .

The film explores mentorship, rivalry, redemption, and teamwork with Sonny mentoring Joshua, relationships forming in the garage, and the romantic subplot with technical director Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon) adding emotional weight. The real racing environment underscores it all, culminating in high-speed sequences that feel as risky and edgy as actual F1 .

Personal Movie Review

What Worked What I Liked

1. Racing Sequences Feel Alive

This is what the movie does best. Kosinski’s experience from Maverick pays off. He shoots the Grand Prix with energyPOV shots, immersive speeds, the rumble of tires, and tight cockpit visuals that make you feel you’re strapped in next to Sonny. Critics say these are some of the best-ever filmed racing scenes .

2. Authenticity Earned, Not Faked

Filming alongside real races, working with FIA, having actual F1 drivers in the background all that authenticity pays off. Even small references show respect for the sport, and fans can appreciate the detail and reverence .

3. Brad Pitt’s Charm Still Works Wonders

Sonny Hayes is cool without being a caricature. Pitt balances charm and weariness, walking that line of the veteran racer who still has fire. Reviews call his charisma “effortless,” which helps carry the movie even when the script gets a little weak elsewhere .

4. Strong Supporting Cast

Damson Idris brings energy as Joshua Pearce, Javier Bardem grounds things as the anxious, passionate team owner, and Kerry Condon brings nuance to the smart, ambitious engineer role. Sarah Niles delivers welcome humor as Joshua’s mom. These performances give the film personality.

5. Soundtrack and Score

Hans Zimmer’s score adds sweeping drama, while the licensed soundtrack grabs attention with fresh pop, dance, and global artists' interesting mix that gives the film some extra pop and cool factor .

What Didn’t Click For Me

1. Plot Feels Predictable and Familiar

Comeback athlete, underdog team, mentor-mentee dynamic, that formula is well-trodden. Critics say the script is flat, characters fall into clichés, and dialogue can feel wooden. For as cinematic as the race scenes are, the story framework feels paint-by-numbers .

2. Romance Subplot Falls Flat

Sonny and Kate’s budding connection when it’s not in the pits carries clichés. Reviews describe it as underwhelming and tacked on, diverting more than it adds .

3. Dialogue Isn’t Always Sharp

Some lines feel lazy, particularly in exposition or dramatic reveals. One reviewer calls it like a scene that could use more thoughtful writing rather than relying on “fast car, fast music” to carry it .

4. Runs Long for What It Is

At nearly 2h35, some pacing lags in the garage scenes. Sure, you want to see the characters breathe before the next race but there are stretches that feel like they could’ve used a tighter edit .

And So, the Verdict

I walked away from F1: The Movie feeling impressed by how well it captures speed, risk, and spectacle. It’s ride-or-die cinema at its best when the wheels are turning and the engine is screaming. Pitt is magnetic, the cast around him solid, the production bold and ambitious. But when the engines quiet down, what’s left is a familiar story that doesn’t quite rise above its clichés and genre tropes.

It’s an entertaining, high-velocity blast and probably exactly what you want if you're in the mood for a big screen racing thrill. But as a drama, it’s more of a comfort-food structure than a surprise.

Final Thoughts

If you’re an F1 fan or someone who eats up immersive, large-scale action with doses of nostalgia, F1: The Movie delivers. It’s technically impressive, tonally vibrant, and visually brilliant. If you’re looking for a layered, emotionally complex drama? It doesn’t go quite that deep.

In the end, it’s a well-executed ride that knows its strengths and races hard with them

even if it misses a few emotional gears along the way.