Lewis Hamilton is a co-producer of Brad Pitt’s film, F1, and as such, he has the right to review the project and make changes if necessary. The film will be released in theaters in June 2025—and later on Apple TV+—and follows the American star as a former Formula 1 driver who returns to the track to mentor a young talent.
Strong performance for the Porsche 963 in a close qualifying in Brazil
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of F1, believes that Brad Pitt’s film will have a “huge impact,” much more than Netflix’s Drive to Survive.
In an interview with Esquire, future Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton spoke in detail about the anticipated film project in which he was involved, especially in the scriptwriting process. And it is here that the seven-time world champion had to intervene to change some unrealistic elements.
Screenwriter Ehren Kruger did a lot of research and also consulted with the Briton. “We would sit down and talk about what Formula 1 racing was like. Once the script was written, I realized that there were things that made me say ‘this is bullshit!’ There were unrealistic elements. That wasn’t Formula 1. I tried to make sure it was as authentic as possible.”
Going into detail about the elements that, according to Lewis Hamilton, were “bullshit,” he explained: “They would be race scenes. Sequences involving overtakes and pit stops, strategies, and all that sort of thing. There was an accident where the car crashed into the wall. It flipped over, then landed on its wheels and kept going. That doesn’t happen in Formula 1.”
The other real challenge was explaining how a fifty-year-old could get back behind the wheel of an F1 car. In reality, Lewis Hamilton knows this is not realistically possible. “But that’s the interesting part you can discuss: how would you do it? How much training would you need to get back to fighting on the track with younger drivers?”
But can Brad Pitt drive an F1 car? Lewis Hamilton revealed that the Oscar-winning actor has “potential.” But “obviously, he hasn’t been able to refine his skill as we have.”