F1 (film)


F1 is a 2025 American sports drama film starring Brad Pitt as Formula One racing driver Sonny Hayes, who returns after a 30-year absence to save his former teammate's underdog team, APXGP, from collapse. The film was directed by Joseph Kosinski from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger. Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, and Javier Bardem also star in supporting roles.
Development of the film began in December 2021 with Pitt, Kosinski, Kruger, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer attached to the project; the latter three had previously collaborated on Top Gun: Maverick. Supporting cast members were revealed in early 2023, before the start of principal photography at Silverstone that July. Filming also took place during Grand Prix weekends of the and World Championships, with the collaboration of the FIA, the governing body of F1. Racing sequences were adapted from the real-life races, with F1 teams and drivers appearing throughout, including Lewis Hamilton, who was also a producer. Hans Zimmer composed the film's score, while numerous artists contributed to its soundtrack.
F1 premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 16, 2025, and was released in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures and Apple Original Films on June 27. The film grossed $631.8 million worldwide against a $200–300 million budget, becoming the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2025, the highest-grossing auto racing film of all time, the highest-grossing film by Apple Studios, and the highest-grossing film of Pitt's career. In addition to receiving positive reviews from critics, the National Board of Review named it as one of the top ten films of the year. At the 98th Academy Awards, it received four nominations, including Best Picture.

Plot

Aging former Formula One prodigy Sonny Hayes has spent the last 30 years living as a racer-for-hire, following a career-ending crash at the 1993 Spanish Grand Prix that has left him burdened by the failure to live up to his potential. After winning the 24 Hours of Daytona, he is approached by his former teammate Rubén Cervantes, owner of the struggling APXGP F1 team, who asks him to be their second driver. Rubén explains that unless APXGP wins one of the nine remaining Grands Prix of the season, his investors will sell the team. Sonny reluctantly agrees after Rubén insists that victory will prove he is the "best in the world".
Sonny meets the team, including technical director Kate McKenna and ambitious rookie Joshua Pearce. Joshua fears the failing APXGP could derail his career and aims to attract interest from another team. Sonny struggles with the modern F1 machinery but quickly diagnoses APXGP's weaknesses, proposing that the vehicles be upgraded with enhanced aerodynamics to compensate for their speed disadvantage.
At the British Grand Prix, Sonny and Joshua compete against each other rather than cooperating, resulting in both crashing out. Acknowledging the team's need to secure a points finish, Sonny exploits the rules at the Hungarian Grand Prix by deliberately colliding with rivals to trigger safety car periods. This allows Joshua to close the gap to the frontrunners and secure APXGP's first top-ten finish. During the rain-affected Italian Grand Prix, Sonny advises Joshua to remain on slick tires, trading grip for speed and elevating him to second place. However, he ignores Sonny's instruction to wait for a straight before overtaking Max Verstappen, skids and flies off the track, while his car bursts into flames. Sonny rescues him, but Joshua is injured and misses the next three races. Joshua's mother and the press criticize Sonny's high-risk approach. He performs well during Joshua's absence, using Kate's new vehicle upgrades.
An increasingly arrogant Joshua returns at the Belgian Grand Prix and deliberately forces Sonny into a crash. Afterward, Sonny criticizes him for foolishly setting the team back for personal glory. Seeking to ease tensions, Kate organizes a poker game to highlight their similar backgrounds, after which Sonny and Kate spend the night together. He later admits to her that he races to recapture the rare moments when he feels untouchable.
Following an anonymous tip alleging Kate's car upgrades are illegal, APXGP is forced to remove them, leaving the team at a disadvantage. Frustrated—and realizing he has skipped his ritual of having a random playing card with him in the cockpit—Sonny drives recklessly during the Las Vegas Grand Prix and crashes. While he recovers, Rubén discovers that Sonny's 1993 injuries left him medically unfit for F1, with risks of blindness or death, and fires him for his own safety. APXGP board member Peter Banning then admits to Sonny that he orchestrated both his signing and the anonymous tip to sabotage the team and force its sale, offering Sonny significant compensation to let APXGP fail. Meanwhile, Joshua begins applying Sonny's racing techniques, admits fault for his earlier crash, and recommits himself to the team. Concealing his blurred vision and headaches, Sonny persuades Rubén to let him return, just as the FIA clears Kate and restores her upgrades.
At the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Joshua battles Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc for the lead. After Sonny is caught in a minor crash, the race is red-flagged, allowing APXGP to repair both cars before a three-lap sprint to the finish. On the restart, Sonny overtakes Leclerc and sacrifices his own chance of victory by holding off Hamilton so Joshua can move into first. On the final lap, Hamilton and Joshua collide, clearing the way for Sonny to take his first F1 win and secure APXGP's future. Joshua is offered a seat with Mercedes by Toto Wolff, but declines. As the team celebrates, Sonny quietly prepares to leave, parting on good terms with Joshua and promising to see Kate soon. Some time later, he lines up for the Baja 1000. When asked what he is racing for, Sonny laughs.

Cast

  • Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a nomadic racer-for-hire and former 1990s Formula One driver for Lotus who returns to F1 with APXGP
  • Damson Idris as Joshua Pearce, a hotshot rookie who drives for APXGP, becoming Sonny's teammate and main rival
  • Kerry Condon as Kate McKenna, the APXGP technical director and Sonny's love interest
  • Javier Bardem as Rubén Cervantes, the APXGP team owner, Sonny's friend and former Lotus teammate
  • Tobias Menzies as Peter Banning, a sly, scheming APXGP board member
  • Kim Bodnia as Kaspar Smolinski, the APXGP team principal
  • Sarah Niles as Bernadette Pearce, Joshua's mother
  • Will Merrick as Hugh Nickleby, Sonny's APXGP race engineer
  • Joseph Balderrama as Rico Fazio, Joshua's APXGP race engineer
  • Abdul Salis as Dodge Dauda, the APXGP chief mechanic
  • Callie Cooke as Jodie, a clumsy APXGP pit stop tire gunner
  • Samson Kayo as Cashman, Joshua's cousin and manager
  • Simon Kunz as Don Cavendish, an antagonistic sports commentator present at the F1 weekends in which Sonny participated
  • Liz Kingsman as Lisbeth Bampton, the APXGP PR agent
  • Luciano Bacheta as Luca Cortez, the APXGP reserve driver
  • Shea Whigham as Chip Hart, owner of Chip Hart Racing, for whom Sonny drives the 24 Hours of Daytona
  • Kyle Rankin as Cale Kelso, one of Sonny's co-drivers for Chip Hart Racing in the 24 Hours of Daytona
Simone Ashley was cast in an undisclosed role, but her appearance was cut to only a cameo, credited as herself. Additionally, Craig Dolby and Duncan Tappy acted as stunt drivers, alongside Bacheta.

Formula One drivers, personnel and others

The film is based on the Formula One season and was filmed during both the 2023 and seasons. As a result, many Formula One drivers and personnel appear—or are credited—in the film as themselves. The drivers are as follows, with the teams and achievements they had at the time:
Formula One personnel who appear in the film include:
Sky Sports F1 commentators Martin Brundle and David Croft provide commentary for races depicted in the film. Leigh Diffey provides commentary for the 24 Hours of Daytona scene. Cameo appearances include Porsche factory driver Patrick Long as Sonny's other co-driver at the 24 Hours of Daytona race, motorsport presenters Rachel Brookes, Natalie Pinkham, and Will Buxton, Dutch DJ Tiësto and social media influencers Sabrina Bahsoon and Simon Minter.