With Formula 1 now one of the hottest sporting properties worldwide, it’s unsurprising Hollywood wants a piece of the action. As we’ve previously reported, Brad Pitt is already tapped to star in an F1 film, and now we’re hearing that will involve Pitt himself actually getting out on track at upcoming F1 events.
The latest news on the project comes to us from a panel at the F1 Accelerate Summit, hosted on Thursday by the Wall Street Journal. At the closed-door event, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinski laid out the plans for the upcoming F1 flick, which has Lewis Hamilton attached as a consulting producer.
There have been wild reports as to the film getting directly involved in F1 events this year. ESPN stated that Pitt will be “driving an actual F1 car alongside the rest of the grid at Silverstone,” adding that the film will enter an “11th team.” Meanwhile, reporter Will Buxton stated “They’re creating an 11th team and filming on track and on event from Silverstone to the end of the year,” adding that Brad Pitt would be behind the wheel.
However, these statements are vague and may be over-egging things entirely. Realistically, it’s laughable that the FIA or the teams themselves would allow a new F1 team to join events in the middle of the season. Furthermore, Brad Pitt doesn’t have a Super Licence, either.
Instead, it’s far more likely that Pitt will be filmed running an F1-like car at upcoming F1 events, shooting footage on track during times when the circuit is not in use by F1 or its support categories. Indeed, Buxton’s later Tweets clarify that the film will use a car “designed by Mercedes,” which we may have already seen in video evidence posted online. The Drive contacted F1 for comment, with a spokesperson indicating that Pitt will not be involved in any official sessions at upcoming races. “He will not be racing anyone,” a spokesperson told The Drive.
Outside of the on-track details, though, it’s shaping up to be a solid film. Bruckheimer and Kosinski have been riding high since the success of Top Gun: Maverick, and hope to bring the benefits of that experience to bear on this project. That experience helped develop a new movable 6K camera, to “take the viewer into the cockpit” according to Buxton.
Reportedly, the 1966 film Grand Prix is a major touchstone for director Kosinski. That’s a great guiding star for anyone attempting to make a great racing film. Bruckheimer himself is no stranger to the format, either, having worked on Days of Thunder, the NASCAR classic starring Tom Cruise. Notably, Cruise himself has advised the team he’s available to do some driving for the new project if so required.
You couldn’t attach more big names to this project without getting Michael Bay on as an “explosion consultant” and Daniel Craig to run craft services. Of course, that doesn’t guarantee it will be a hit. There’s always a risk that such high expectations will be dashed at release. Here’s hoping Hamilton’s guiding hand can make this film more like Rush and less like Driven.
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