The F1 movie poses a risk of altering the sport it showcases.

      GARETH CATTERMOLE

      Get The Drive’s daily newsletter

      The latest car news, reviews, and features.

      Despite the cinematic opening setbacks experienced during the Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix at the stunning Red Bull Ring, Brad Pitt’s “F1: The Movie” premiere managed to overshadow the very sport it seeks to celebrate.

      Over the past two years, Apple TV has aimed to produce a realistic racing film that blurs the boundaries between reality and fiction in F1. The movie showcases the story of APX GP, a struggling F1 team that brings in retired driver Sonny Hayes (Pitt) as the sole remedy to the team's numerous shortcomings. Unlike previous racing films, “F1” intended to embed itself within the sport, filming as though the Hollywood crew were just any other team. The creators, associated with “Top Gun,” worked alongside producers Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff to make Pitt and his co-star Damson Idris (who plays young driver Joshua Pearce) familiar faces on the F1 circuit.

      However, instead of blending seamlessly into the sport, this entertainment venture transformed the racetrack into a movie setting: staging faux podium celebrations and media pen interviews, where the 20 F1 drivers became mere background figures in their own workday, distributing APX GP merchandise to fans in the stands, and incorporating familiar names from F1 like Will Buxton, David Croft, and Martin Brundle into the storyline.

      For current F1 enthusiasts, this much-debated and highly awaited blockbuster served as a tribute to the sport filled with cheeky inside jokes, cameos, and interactive fan experiences. Conversely, it was like a guest who lingered too long and decided to redecorate.

      The film's strongest element was its racing. The opening scene featuring the 24 Hours of Daytona is so compelling that the F1 scenes that follow pale in comparison. Yet, for those unfamiliar with F1, the racing sequences may come across as excessively polished. Transitioning from director Joseph Kosinski’s expert angles to F1TV’s might feel underwhelming.

      If the film aimed for authenticity, it should have committed fully. While F1 drivers appeared on-screen and the technical behind-the-scenes content revealed aspects rarely seen by fans, like team hospitality suites and driver rooms, the scripted moments—such as Pitt’s character not facing penalties for cheating—were starkly obvious to dedicated fans. There were times when it was also evident that Hamilton's involvement directly influenced many scenes and plotlines, aligning closely with his own racing experiences.

      Ultimately, the film struggled to focus on a single storyline or develop its characters adequately, leaning too heavily on Pitt's exaggerated bad-boy persona, which left viewers with a negative impression. If charismatic Hayes was the protagonist, there was no clear antagonist. It could have been rival teams (or even Hamilton himself, as hinted), the media’s antagonizing role, the sport's governing body, or the seasoned racer's physical challenges.

      Scenes depicting Hayes deliberately crashing himself and other drivers to produce multiple safety cars provided a humorous take on gaming the rules but failed to showcase his supposed racing brilliance as intended, detracting from the essence of the sport. The excitement of F1 lies in the seconds that separate competitors and the subtleties inherent in racing: navigating the gray areas and strategizing within the rulebook. “F1” did not fully capture this intricacy. Furthermore, crafting a car for "combat" without prioritizing safety felt like a regression in the series' efforts to improve safety in a historically dangerous sport.

      The film faced significant backlash for its romantic subplot. On the surface, the love story between Pitt's character and the fictional team’s lead designer appeared acceptable. However, given the historical challenges and stereotypes women have faced in motorsport, especially as this season marks the introduction of a female race engineer, the narrative felt unnecessary and even offensive.

      Nonetheless, despite its plot inconsistencies and a script that sometimes felt reliant on AI-generated phrasing, the film achieved what the sport’s executives have struggled with: producing a story that appeals to both new and traditional fans alike.

      For moviegoers unfamiliar with F1, the film is expected to spark a renewed interest in the sport in the United States. “F1” has already surpassed the production studio's box office record, generating $144 million during its global debut. The European sport captured mainstream attention with the release of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” in 2019. As the docuseries enters its seventh season without an eighth renewal, Hollywood’s arrival comes at a timely juncture. The sport's popularity has fluctuated recently, with spectator numbers and public sentiment dwindling amid Max Verstappen’s winning streak. Although F1 now claims 750 million fans globally and drew a record 3.1 million ESPN viewers during the 2024 Miami GP, only 2.2 million tuned in for this year's South Florida race. The sport could benefit from Hollywood