Everything We Know About the New F1 Movie Starring Brad Pitt

2025 is going to be a vintage year for Formula 1 fans. On the track, the season is shaping up to be one of the closest in a decade, with McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari trading positions, and Williams making a long-awaited resurgence. But in the movie theaters, there’s yet another attraction coming this summer – Brad Pitt’s F1 movie, which looks set to win new fans and thrill the old guard in equal measure.

What is the New F1 Movie About?

Back in the 1990s, Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was destined to become the next big title contender in Formula 1. But after injury forced him out of the sport, he had kept himself sharp by competing in other racing series, but drinking and gambling had turned his private life into something of an ex-sports star cliché.

All the while, Hayes’ former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) had been building his own F1 team. When Cervantes signed rising star Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), a fast but undisciplined talent, he knew he needed a seasoned driver - so he called Hayes back to the track.

The movie has been made with the close involvement of FIA, the sport’s governing body. Alongside Pitt, Bardem, and Idris, all the 2023 F1 drivers and some team principals play their parts in the movie. In fact, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton is named among the producers, with Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean, Bad Boys, Top Gun) and others. The film is directed and co-produced by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick, Tron: Legacy), and is distributed by Warner Bros Pictures and Apple Original Films.

With Formula 1 itself, the entire grid on screen, and a wealth of acting, producing, and directing talent on board, it’s hard to see how F1 can be anything but a hit way beyond the sport’s core audience.

When Does the F1 Movie Come Out?

The F1 movie release date is slated for June 27 in the US and Canadian theaters, following the June 25 release in the rest of the world. It will also be viewable on Apple TV+, which requires a subscription.

The studio released a trailer just ahead of the 2024 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where much of the filming took place. Want a sneak peek? Watch the trailer.

We can expect the promotion to get into 8th gear as June approaches – and like all things F1 and Hollywood, it’s going to be big. As Lewis says in a Motorsport.com interview, “I have such high hopes for it. I know we're going to make the best racing movie that's ever existed, both visually and we’re going to work on making sure we pull on the heartstrings of all those fans.”

Other Movies about Formula 1

F1 is all about the drama, but among dozens of movies about motor sport, F1 has been underrepresented. That’s perhaps because of its relatively muted presence in American culture and therefore Hollywood. Still, there are some gems to sink your teeth into if you want to get in the mood:

• Rush (2013): a dramatization of the rivalry that drove a wedge between flamboyant Englishman James Hunt and Austrian Niki Lauda as they fought for the 1976 Formula 1 championship.
• Senna (2010): a multi-award-winning documentary on the life and untimely death of Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna, whom many fans consider the best driver in the history of the sport.
• Schumacher (2021): another excellent documentary, this time on the German seven-time champion, Michael Schumacher, who raised the bar when it came to precision, aggression, and raw racing talent.

There have been some non-F1 titles that are well worth watching for the same blend of thrills, action, and emotion. Ford v Ferrari (2019) covers the 1966 Le Mans 24 race, and stars Matt Damon with Christian Bale.

Sylvester Stallone became a regular on the F1 paddock in the 90s as he researched his dream movie based on the sport. He eventually switched his focus to Champ Cars, on which he based his 2001 movie Driven.

And finally there’s Ferrari (2023), where Adam Driver plays genius founder Enzo Ferrari as he prepares for the 1957 Mille Miglia (One Thousand Miles).

Get Ready for the new Formula 1 Movie with F1 Arcade

We can’t promise Brad Pitt, but when you come to your local F1 Arcade venue, you’re guaranteed a memorable time among fans of the greatest sport on earth. You can try your hand at screaming round the circuits featured in the movie in our immersive video games. And once the racing is over, you can wow friends with your tales of slipstream overtakes and near misses while you tuck into superb food and drinks.

During race weekends, come on over to watch the real-life action unfold as we show the events on our big screens. Or just pop in any time to savor the atmosphere in Boston, DC, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Atlanta or Denver.