James Vowles explains what Brad Pitt’s F1 movie did ‘incredibly well’ that fans won’t even realise

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The ‘F1’ movie is set for theatrical release on June 27 after over two years of filming and production.

The film, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, gives fans the most authentic experience of F1 ever seen in cinema. Seven-time champion and Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton played a pivotal role in making the movie possible, with the Brit having a production credit.

‘F1’ premiered in New York City on June 16, with almost all 20 drivers appearing on the red carpet among other A-list celebrities. Defending F1 champion Max Verstappen conducted another GT3 test at Spa, hence why the Red Bull driver missed the event.

The UK held its premiere of the movie at Leicester Square on Monday night, with many drivers, team principals and celebrities making an appearance. With a budget of $200 million (roughly £147 million), Apple Studios is under pressure to make a return at the box office.

James Vowles says the F1 movie did ‘incredibly well’ to film with an 11th team on the grid

The film, based around the 2023 F1 season, tells the story of fictional team APXGP, with Pitt and Idris playing the team drivers, Sonny Hayes and Joshua Pearce.

F1 built real-spec F2 cars for the film to help create a real, authentic experience. Pitt and Idris learned to drive the machines as APXGP were given garage slots at several races in 2023 and 2024.

Williams team principal James Vowles spoke to the F1 website on the red carpet at Leicester Square about the movie. He says the ‘world will forget’ that the sport actually had an 11th team on the grid during filming, and they did ‘incredibly well’ with it.

“I think the world will forget the fact that we had an 11th team by our side. This wasn’t a movie set, we were racing on track at the same time,” he said.

“And they had one shot, one take. When we left, that was it, you’re done and they did incredibly well to fit that in.

“You’ll see in the film, it just feels as though we’re all together as part of a package and I think that blew me away when I saw the final product because I’ve seen how they’ve put all the work together and it’s really well done.”

READ MORE: All to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes ties

The F1 movie has caused controversy and scepticism around the drivers

With Cadillac joining the grid in 2026, APXGP gave drivers and fans an early taste of what F1 will look like with 22 cars in the field. Hamilton was impressed by Pitt’s athleticism as he learned how to drive a real race car.

While the 10 teams seem to be very much behind the film and its aim to attract a new audience, it did take time to win them over. Mercedes and Ferrari mocked the movie on day one of filming due to the printing on APXGP’s overalls and shirts.

Having an actual 11th team in the paddock is an incredible spectacle for the movie, but their access was perhaps a little too great. Fernando Alonso was once hampered by an APXGP car in an official qualifying session.

Even now, certain aspects of the film have drawn scepticism and criticism from journalists and those within the sport. The drivers ‘burst out laughing during one ‘over the top’ crash scene, which is supposedly in reference to Romain Grosjean’s horror crash in 2020.