F1 The Movie is a 2 hour 35 minute ad that is truly amazing, if you’re not a fan, says long-time Formula One enthusiast Etukenyen Edwin Akpan.
I watched Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick back in 2022. I enjoyed it. I don’t know how many factual or technical inaccuracies it presented on screen, but it looked real. It was believable. Unfortunately I can’t say the same about his latest release, F1 The Movie. You see, I don’t know very much about aeronautics, or the life of a fighter pilot, so I happily accepted Top Gun as a true representation of that life.
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In the Know
But I do know quite a bit about Formula 1, having followed the sport since before I turned 10, listening to the exploits of one Michael ‘Shoemaker’ over the radio. And as a fan, I find F1 a bit difficult to accept. And that’s a shame, considering its ‘official’ status and the involvement of real life drivers and teams.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past three years, you will no doubt have heard about Apple Original Films Formula 1 licensed movie, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Kosinski. Brad Pitt leads a stellar cast including Damson Idris (Snowfall), Javier Bardem (of Skyfall fame), and Kerry Condon.
The movie tells the story of retired F1 driver Sonny Hayes (Pitt) who is drawn back to the grid by former teammate turned team owner Ruben Cervantes (Bardem). Together with rookie teammate Joshua Pearce (Idris), Hayes is charged with improving the fortunes of the fictitious APX GP team (They should have gone for a cooler name, like Double Apex – ed.)
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Big Screen Action
The movie is visually spectacular and it does feel a lot like you’re watching a live F1 broadcast. Much of the film was shot on race weekends during the 2023 and 2024 seasons and it shows. The real-life venues, actual F1 drivers, teams, and media personalities all add to the realism of F1. Throw in Lewis Hamilton’s influence as producer, aiming to make the film as authentic as possible, and you have a truly impressive portrayal of motorsport action.
Like the Netflix series Drive to Survive, F1 highlights the most dramatic and exciting aspects of the sport – and why we love it so much – leaning on real-world events (Martin Donnelly, 1990; Romain Grosjean, 2020; Spygate). And as an introduction to Formula 1 for casual viewers, it works brilliantly. In fact, the success of this movie at the box office could see a rise in Formula 1 viewership similar to the Drive to Survive influence.
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A Box Office Success
And the numbers are looking good. A decent $25m opening-day haul in the US and a projected $140m for its global opening weekend. Critical and audience reception has been positive – boasting an A rating on CinemaScore and Certified Fresh at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. So it’s clear the movie appeals to the wider audience. For true F1 fans though, it leaves a bit to be desired.
Fans Will Know
The biggest flaw is how the film oversimplifies the art of overtaking for dramatic effect. Yes it has the basic principles pat down – slipstream, dirty air, cornering speeds, tyre and brake temperatures, DRS. But these principles are applied in ways that are implausible in the real world. This was most glaring in the races at Silverstone and Monza.
The problem here for new Formula 1 followers is races being considered ‘simply because there isn’t much overtaking, despite the tension from teams trying to outwit each other with strategy (see Spain or Canada this year). Or drivers being judged unfairly based on their inability to complete a pass.
Some Factual Inaccuracies
Then there are minor details that may be excused as they don’t detract from the story, but would seem odd to a hardcore fan. From factual inaccuracies (the 1993 Spanish GP was held at Catalunya not Jerez as depicted) to playing fast and loose with F1 Sporting Regulations, some scenes would leave fans questioning the movie’s authenticity.
An example would be the absence of a Safety Car (or VSC at the very least) after a huge crash during Hayes’ first race back at Silverstone. Or the seeming disregard for pit-lane speed limits, or the fact that Hayes wouldn’t even be allowed to participate in the final race at Abu Dhabi under current regulations. Or Pearce in the lead of a race having his DRS open. And again in Monza, it’s hardly believable that any driver (or team for that matter) would stay out in such conditions.
Take It As Is
Driver safety aside, you’d simply be losing time to the other drivers hand over fist. Yes, it’s all entertainment. And on that count it does work. F1 The Movie is an exciting (if predictable) cinematic gem. Formula 1 viewers just need to remind themselves constantly that it’s exactly what the title says – just a movie.