Formula 1 has become a pioneer in attracting new fans to the sport that other industries are quickly trying to copy.
Drive to Survive opened up F1 to a completely new audience, and now Brad Pitt stars in the latest effort to increase interest in the world’s most popular motorsport.
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Joseph Kosinski, F1: The Movie has now been released in cinemas with Lewis Hamilton playing a key role in its production.
Hamilton was brought in to advise on the technical aspects of the film, with familiar voices Martin Brundle and David Croft also involved, and the expertise of Bernie Collins and Ruth Buscombe called upon to help make the story and dialogue more realistic.
F1 drivers were under strict instructions to behave normally around Pitt when he was in the paddock.
The fictional team he drove for in the film, Apex Grand Prix appeared on the actual F1 grid on several occasions.
Hamilton was important for picking out inaccuracies in the F1 movie during its production, and Pitt was very complimentary about the role he played behind the scenes.
READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

Brad Pitt lauds ‘incredible’ Lewis Hamilton after working on the F1 movie together
Pitt was asked in an interview on Formula 1’s YouTube channel about the process of making F1: The Movie and how they tried to keep the racing as realistic as possible, and explained: “First of all, we’ve got Lewis Hamilton as our producer and his knowledge has been so immensely helpful.
“He’s been keeping us straight, going, ‘No, no, no, that doesn’t fly, [it] needs to go this way,’ and his knowledge, it’s so incredible.
“Right down to the sound, he can actually pick out and go, ‘No, no, no, no, no, that’s turn 12, that’s not turn 16.’
“You need more reverb on the straight here, you hear this massive reverb into [turn] one.
“He’s that specific, it’s incredible.”
| Category | Lewis Hamilton | Charles Leclerc |
| 2025 points | 156 | 242 |
| Grand Prix results* | 3 | 18 |
| Grand Prix qualifying | 5 | 19 |
| Grand Prix wins | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Prix poles | 0 | 1 |
| Grand Prix podiums | 0 | 7 |
| Best finish | 4th | 2nd |
| Disqualifications | 1 | 1 |
| Retirements | 2 | 2 |
| Fastest laps | 1 | 1 |
| Grand Prix points finishes | 19 | 20 |
| Sprint results | 3 | 3 |
| Sprint Qualifying | 2 | 4 |
| Sprint wins | 1 | 0 |
| Sprint poles | 1 | 0 |
| Sprint podiums | 2 | 0 |
*Both Ferrari drivers were disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix
*Both Ferrari drivers retired from the Dutch and Sao Paulo Grands Prix
Pitt was then asked when Hamilton’s involvement in the project started, and he said: “Right from the beginning.
“In fact, Joe [Kosinski, F1 The Movie’s director] went and got Lewis before he got me.
“He said, ‘As long as I can have that kind of backing and that kind of support, then I think we can get to what I know I can do with the cameras and the cars.’”
READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
The surprising role Pierre Gasly played in F1: The Movie’s production
Hamilton has been the face of Formula 1’s latest effort to break into the wider cultural zeitgeist, but plenty of other drivers have played their part too.
George Russell and Charles Leclerc celebrated on the podium alongside Pitt after last season’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
While many in the paddock were concentrating on Hamilton after he had just driven brilliantly to finish fourth in his final race for Mercedes, his teammate was brought up to celebrate a podium finish despite crossing the line in fifth.
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Alpine driver Pierre Gasly’s car was also used in the F1 movie with the Apex livery superimposed onto his machine while he was racing at Spa.
The film has generally been received well, but there was a lot of secrecy surrounding its content before it went on general release.
The F1 drivers burst into laughter at one scene at a private screening, but creating an ultra-realistic film about the sport might not have gone down so well with new and casual fans.
However, Hamilton’s contribution to the movie, according to Pitt, was vital to making sure none of the minor details were missed.
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