F1 New Trailer: Brad Pitt Takes the Wheel as an Aging Maverick Racer in This High-Speed Sports Drama with Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, and Javier Bardem
In this new racing drama, Brad Pitt plays an aging Formula One driver struggling to adapt to the high-tech, team-driven world of modern racing.
To be perfectly honest, the sport of Formula One racing was never something we considered all that exciting. That’s not to say it’s not a highly popular and massive franchise that has generated an enormous amount of devoted fans. In fact, F1 might be one of the most exhilarating and intense sports out there, with its high-speed action, razor-sharp precision, and fiercely competitive drivers.
However, for those of us who may have overlooked the sport, there’s a new movie coming out this summer that aims to change your mind about it. At the same time, those who are already loyal fans will likely appreciate the depiction of this Formula One world, possibly giving audiences a whole new appreciation for the sport and all its intricacies.
Plus, there’s an actor who stars in it that you might have heard of... Brad Pitt! So, you can bet your bottom dollar that the Pitt-meister will bring the heat, playing an aging F1 racer out to prove he’s still got what it takes as he faces off against younger, faster competitors, all while navigating the high-pressure world of professional racing.
And this is what struck us while watching the latest trailer for F1, a literally starring vehicle for Pitt. The way the 61-year-old Oscar-winner commands the screen with a mix of charm and grit adds a level of gravitas to a strikingly intense sports drama that feels like the filmmakers are aiming to take audiences right into the driver’s seat, exploring the F1 world like never before.
We can’t help but think the metaphor here is pretty clear. The race is not just about winning; it’s about pushing the limits of one’s excellence, getting to the heart of what drives a person to be better, and conquering their own doubts, both on and off the track.
In the film, Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, an old Formula One racer who was never a team player and was always a rebel behind the wheel. But those days of relying on instinctive skills don’t fly anymore. As the sport has evolved, becoming more infused with data-driven mechanics and sponsorship money, Hayes finds himself having to adapt or risk being left behind in a world that demands more than just raw talent... it demands that he be a team player. And that’s something he’s avoided his whole life.
“When you look in the mirror...” says Oscar-nominated The Banshees of Inisherin actress Kerry Condon in this new F1 trailer. She plays Kate, Sonny’s new crew member of his racing team, a race director who organizes and oversees all aspects of a race, from the pit crew to the race course itself.
“You see this rough-and-tumble old-school cowboy. Doesn’t take orders, goes his own way, huh? A lone wolf.” Kate describes Pitt’s character, Sonny Hayes, to a T. “Well, I have news for you: Formula One is a team sport. It always was.”
And there lies the issue: How can this maverick behind the wheel alter his way of thinking to fit into how the sport is run now? Can an old dog learn new tricks, or will his natural defiance cost him, and his team, everything in a sport compelled by strategy, teamwork, and adaptability?
“No pressure.”
In what is turning out to be one of the most anticipated dramas of the summer, perhaps the perfect counter-programming to superhero films and IP tentpoles, F1 is directed by Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski, with mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer handling the producing duties.
The film also feels like a throwback to what movie studios used to put out years ago, where the talents of an extremely skilled director were paired with the high wattage of a major movie star. Kosinski and Pitt definitely fit that bill.
The cast also includes Oscar-winner Javier Bardem, who plays Sonny’s longtime friend and team owner, Ruben Cervantes. He believes Sonny can make a comeback, but he doesn’t let their friendship get in the way of his true goal of creating a winning race team.
Ruben pushes Sonny to agree to hire young racing prodigy, Joshua “Noah” Pearce (played by Snowfall star Damson Idris), as his new racing partner.
The only problem? Noah might be an impulsive maverick himself, determined to carve out his own path and make sure his name is at the top, sparking a fierce rivalry between the two drivers. Which just makes things more interesting: it's the age-old battle between old and young, the seasoned veteran versus the hungry newcomer, each determined to prove who truly belongs in the winner’s circle.
Rounding out the cast is Game of Thrones' Tobias Menzies, Boardwalk Empire's Shea Whigham, and Ted Lasso's Sarah Niles.
F1 is set to race into theaters on June 27th. They often say don’t walk, but run to the movie theaters. So, perhaps for this one, you should hit the gas and screech into the parking lot instead.
You can also check out the IMAX version of the same F1 trailer, with the larger aspect ratio, below:
Official Synopsis:
Dubbed “the greatest that never was,” Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was FORMULA 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, he’s a nomadic racer-for-hire when he’s approached by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), owner of a struggling FORMULA 1 team that is on the verge of collapse. Ruben convinces Sonny to come back to FORMULA 1 for one last shot at saving the team and being the best in the world. He’ll drive alongside Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), the team's hotshot rookie intent on setting his own pace. But as the engines roar, Sonny’s past catches up with him and he finds that in FORMULA 1, your teammate is your fiercest competition—and the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone.
