Lewis Hamilton sparked a bit of tension with actor Brad Pitt when he implied that Pitt might be too advanced in age to believably play a Formula 1 driver in the F1 film, which recently won a Best Sound Oscar at the Academy Awards ceremony.
The movie, titled “F1,” directed by Joseph Kosinski and released in 2025, introduced a new team to the racing scene and followed Pitt’s character, Sonny Hayes, a seasoned driver making a dramatic return to the sport.
During the filming process, which took place during actual Grand Prix weekends in 2023 and 2024, Pitt and his co-star Damson Idris were seen driving modified Formula 2 cars alongside real racing professionals.
Hamilton and his former Mercedes team boss, Toto Wolff, made cameo appearances in the film, which turned out to be a massive success, grossing close to £500 million globally and becoming Pitt’s most successful project to date.
Wolff revealed that Hamilton initially expressed concerns about Pitt’s age suitability for the role of a veteran driver, which led to some discomfort between the two during the filming period.
Despite the initial reservations, the film received positive feedback from F1 drivers and team principals who attended the premiere in Monaco, coinciding with the Grand Prix event.
While Hamilton was busy competing in the Chinese Grand Prix for Ferrari, the F1 movie celebrated multiple Academy Award nominations, ultimately winning the Best Sound category. It narrowly missed out on the Best Picture award but garnered recognition for its exceptional sound editing and visual effects.
For Formula 1 enthusiasts, it’s now possible to catch all the live action, including practice sessions, qualifiers, and races, by subscribing to Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, which offers significant savings and additional benefits such as access to various TV channels, Netflix, and Discovery+.