Aug 1, 2022; Beverly Hills, CA., USA; Aug 1, 2022; \"Bullet Train\" director David Leitch (left) and star Brad Pitt pose for a portrait on August 1, 2022 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The action-comedy film is based on the Japanese novel \"Maria Beetle\" which was published in English as \"Bullet Train.\" Before becoming a director Leitch was a stunt double for Pitt five times.. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY

'F1' Movie Star Damson Idris claims Fans 'will be proud' of Brad Pitt's Performance

Originally posted on F1 on SI | By Nelson Espinal | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 3:26 PM ET

Movie star Brad Pitt plays the lead role in t he F1 movie as a retired driver who returns to the sport to mentor a promising young driver.

The movie is produced by Apple Original Films and directed by Joseph Kosinski, known for "Top Gun: Maverick."

Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, who retires after a massive crash and returns when an F1 team owner asks him to return. Hayes' role is to mentor Joshua Pearce, portrayed by Damson Idris.

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The movie features several elements of real-life F1, including drivers, teams, the FIA, and various F1 calendar tracks.

In preparation for the movie, Pitt gained a lot of experience behind the wheel to add a sense of realism, which Idris has detailed.

Meet APXGP. Sonny Hayes and Joshua Pearce.#F1Movie only in theaters this SUMMER. #F1 pic.twitter.com/5vfujqAmIk
— F1 Movie (@F1Movie) March 13, 2025

"Brad is just an amazing character, such a kind spirit," Idris said in a press release.

"Um, he taught me about humility, no matter how huge you get. And as an artist, he's just one of our finest. And I think a lot of people, well, everyone really is gonna be really proud of him in this movie."

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"He's such a great leader. He made the movie better every step of the way, and he was a great sparring partner for me, you know."

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton is a producer on the film, trying to ensure an accurate depiction of the sport and maintain a sense of realism to the scenes.

Hamilton tested Pitt before coming onto the film's team, being impressed with what he saw the Oscar-winning actor do.

Experience the innovation. #F1Movie - only in theaters June 2025. #BahrainGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/XieyIhi9Qc
— F1 Movie (@F1Movie) April 9, 2025

"Watching Brad drive around at speeds over 180 miles an hour was really impressive to see because it's not something you can just learn overnight," Hamilton said.

"The dedication and the focus that Brad put into this process has been amazing to witness."

Kosinski himself has emphasized the extensive training that both Pitt and Idris underwent to adapt to driving Formula cars.

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They have ridden in F2 and F3 cars, and used a real F2 car with F1 aerodynamic parts.

"If Brad can't drive, this whole film wasn't going to work, and what Lewis was very happy to discover was that, you know, Brad had a lot of just natural ability right from the start," Kosinski said.

"I don't know where he got that. ... He rides motorcycles, which I think has something to do with it, but he's just a very talented, naturally gifted driver, which gave Lewis a lot of confidence that we might have a shot at pulling this off."

"When you see Brad driving, that's not acting. He's really concentrating on keeping that car on the track and out of the wall during all those scenes, so that's something that you just can't fake."

This article first appeared on F1 on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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