 movie stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, Damson Idris as Joshua Pearce, and Javier Bardem as Ruben Cervantes in a high-octane Formula 1 drama.){kind=link}
Directed by Joseph Kosinski.
F1: The Movie (2025) is scheduled to be released on June 27, 2025.
Distributed by Universal Pictures.
Movie Review
F1: The Movie is a high-energy tribute to speed and teamwork. Brad Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a retired racing legend who returns to help a struggling team.
Director Joseph Kosinski delivers thrilling, immersive race sequences that put you in the cockpit. The camera work and sound design make every lap feel urgent and dangerous.
Javier Bardem and Kerry Condon add emotional weight as the team fights financial and personal pressures, and Damson Idris shines as the hungry young driver eager to prove himself.
The script relies on familiar sports-movie beats and occasional clichés, but strong performances and technical craft keep the film moving.
Fans of racing will love the pit-lane detail and authentic moments on and off the track.
Overall, F1: The Movie earns its checkered flag as a visually stunning, crowd-pleasing ride with heart.
It is perfect weekend viewing, thrilling, emotional, and a must-watch for racers and casual moviegoers.
Ratings
• IMDb: 7.8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
• Google Audience Score: 91% liked this movie.
F1 Movie (2025) Actors
Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes
DOB: December 18, 1963.
Bio: One of Hollywood’s most enduring and versatile leading men, with a career spanning over three decades.
Born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and raised in Missouri, Pitt first gained attention in Thelma & Louise (1991) before cementing himself as a box office draw in films like Legends of the Fall and Se7en.
Role: Sonny Hayes, a former Formula 1 prodigy of the 1990s whose career was derailed by a near-fatal crash.
Years later, Hayes is drawn back into the high-speed world of F1 when he joins the fictional underdog team APXGP. Tasked with mentoring young driver Joshua Pearce (played by Damson Idris).
What to Expect: Classic leading man moments, physical preparation for driving scenes, and emotional beats about aging, risk, and redemption.
Favorite Things: Away from acting, Pitt has often spoken about his passion for architecture, design, music, and wine-making.
He is also deeply engaged in his work as a producer, often championing innovative filmmakers and socially impactful stories.
Notable Works: Fight Club, Inglourious Basterds, 12 Monkeys, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Damson Idris as Joshua Pearce
DOB: September 2, 1991.
Bio: British actor born in Peckham, South London. He studied at Brunel University London, earning a degree in Theatre, Film & Television Studies, and further trained at the Identity School of Acting founded by Femi Oguns.
Idris gained widespread recognition for his breakout role as Franklin Saint in FX’s acclaimed crime drama Snowfall (2017–2023), where he portrayed a young drug kingpin navigating the 1980s crack epidemic.
Role: Joshua Pearce, the ambitious rookie driver for APXGP who becomes Sonny Hayes’ (Brad Pitt) teammate.
Pearce is portrayed as highly skilled, fearless, and determined to make a name for himself, but he also struggles with the pressures of being the team’s future and balancing mentorship from a veteran haunted by his past.
What to Expect: Fast pace, rivalry chemistry with Sonny, and emotional scenes around family and expectation.
Favorite Things: Idris often highlights the importance of discipline, mental focus, and physical training in his approach to acting.
Notable Works: Snowfall, Outside the Wire, Farming.
Kerry Condon as Kate McKenna
DOB: January 9, 1983.
Bio: Irish actress from Thurles, County Tipperary. She trained in Dublin before launching a career that has spanned theatre, television, and film.
On stage, she made history as the youngest actress ever to play Ophelia in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet.
Role: Kate McKenna is APXGP’s technical director and Sonny’s love interest.
She is brilliant with cars and engineering, and her relationship with Sonny grounds the film’s human stakes while driving the team’s technical comeback.
What to Expect: Smart technical scenes, tense engineering sequences, and a quietly fierce emotional core.
Favorite Things: Condon has often spoken about her love for theatre and her respect for roles that allow her to dig deep into a character’s humanity.
Notable Works: The Banshees of Inisherin, Better Call Saul, Rome, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Night Swim.
Javier Bardem as Ruben Cervantes
DOB: March 1, 1969.
Bio: Spanish actor from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.
Coming from a family deeply rooted in film and theatre, Bardem trained at Madrid’s Escuela de Artes y Oficios and carved out an international reputation as one of the most commanding actors of his generation.
Role: Ruben Cervantes is Sonny’s former teammate who now owns the struggling APXGP team.
He convinces Sonny to return and carries the burden of saving the team and his legacy. Expect complex loyalty and outsized passion.
What to Expect: A layered, sometimes tragic team owner performance with big dramatic beats.
Favorite Things: Bardem has often spoken about the importance of family, authenticity, and his respect for the craft of acting.
Notable Works: No Country for Old Men, Monster, Before Night Falls, Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Tobias Menzies as Peter Banning
DOB: March 7, 1974.
Bio: British actor born in London and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
Known for his versatility and precision, Menzies has built a career across stage, television, and film, often excelling in roles that blend authority with hidden vulnerability.
Role: Peter Banning, a calculating APXGP board member whose manipulative tactics and power plays threaten to undermine Ruben Cervantes’ leadership and the team’s fragile resurgence.
What to Expect: Cool, calculating antagonism, and scenes that expose the sport’s off-track battles.
Favorite Things: Menzies often speaks about his deep love for theatre, nuanced character studies, and the challenge of roles that demand psychological depth.
Notable Works: The Crown, Game of Thrones, Outlander, The Terror.
Kim Bodnia as Kaspar Smolinski
DOB: April 12, 1965.
Bio: Danish actor and director, born in Copenhagen, whose career spans more than three decades across Scandinavian cinema, international television, and theatre.
He first rose to prominence with Nicolas Winding Refn’s cult classic Pusher (1996), establishing his reputation for raw, physical intensity.
Role: Kaspar Smolinski, the hard-edged team principal of APXGP.
Tasked with managing both the crew and the high-stakes politics of Formula 1, Kaspar embodies the operational heart of the team, tough, pragmatic, and unflinching in the face of pressure.
What to Expect: Expect Bodnia to bring gritty authority, sharp decision-making, and moments of steely leadership.
Favorite Things: Bodnia has often spoken about his passion for authenticity in performance, favoring roles that feel lived-in and emotionally truthful.
Notable Works: Killing Eve, Pusher, The Bridge.
Sarah Niles as Bernadette Pearce
DOB: June 17, 1987.
Bio: British actress celebrated for her commanding stage and screen career.
Trained at Manchester School of Theatre, she has become a respected presence in British theatre with work at the National Theatre and the Royal Court.
Role: Bernadette Pearce, the devoted mother of rookie driver Joshua Pearce (played by Damson Idris).
Her character provides emotional grounding to Joshua’s high-pressure career, offering family perspective and heart amid the ruthless world of Formula 1.
What to Expect: Expect heartfelt and grounding scenes that explore the personal sacrifices behind Joshua’s rise.
Favorite Things: Niles has expressed her passion for ensemble-driven storytelling and the importance of greater representation in film and television.
Notable Works: Ted Lasso, Rocks, I May Destroy You.
Will Merrick as Hugh Nickleby
DOB: April 9, 1993.
Bio: English actor, writer, and director who first gained recognition as Alo Creevey in the acclaimed series Skins.
A graduate of Dean Close School, Merrick has steadily built a career across television, film, and theatre.
Role: Hugh is Sonny’s APXGP race engineer, essential to the on-track technical partnership and the film’s engineering drama. Expect close pit lane and garage tension.
What to Expect: Technical dialogue, pressure cooker decisions during races, and a steady presence in high stakes moments.
Favorite Things: Merrick discusses craft and combines comedic and dramatic instincts in his roles.
Notable Works: Skins, Dead Pixels, About Time.
Joseph Balderrama as Rico Fazio
DOB: Jan 1, 1986.
Bio: Mexican-British actor and voice artist with an extensive career spanning stage, television, film, and video games.
Born to a Mexican father and British mother, he has worked internationally and is particularly well known in the UK for his wide range of performances.
Role: Rico Fazio, Joshua Pearce’s (Damson Idris) race engineer at APXGP.
Rico is the bridge between driver and car, responsible for interpreting Joshua’s feedback and translating it into technical changes that shape performance.
What to Expect: Expect authentic garage sequences, high-stakes problem-solving, and dynamic exchanges with Joshua Pearce.
Favorite Things: Balderrama has often spoken about his passion for voice acting and stage work, valuing the creativity and freedom they allow alongside on-screen roles.
Notable Works: Heartstopper, Avenue 5, Hotel Portofino.
Abdul Salis as Dodge Dowda
DOB: July 6, 1979.
Bio: Ghanaian-British actor with an accomplished career in film, television, theatre, and voice work.
Born in London to Ghanaian parents, he trained at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and has worked steadily since the late 1990s.
Role: Dodge Dowda, APXGP’s chief mechanic.
Dodge is the backbone of the garage, leading the crew responsible for keeping the cars running under immense pressure.
What to Expect: Practical, blue collar expertise and moments that celebrate the team’s grit.
Favorite Things: Salis has expressed his passion for ensemble-driven stories and characters that highlight teamwork and authenticity.
Notable Works: Casualty, Love Actually, M.I. High.
Callie Cooke as Jodie
DOB: October 23, 1993.
Bio: English actress born in Leicestershire.
A graduate of the ArtsEd drama school in London, she has quickly become known for her sharp, engaging performances across British television and streaming projects.
Role: Jodie, a member of the APXGP pit crew working as a tire gunner.
Jodie’s clumsy but big-hearted personality adds levity to the high-pressure environment of the Formula 1 garage.
What to Expect: Light, human moments amid the racing drama and a sense of the grassroots team spirit.
Favorite Things: Cooke has spoken about her love of theatre and the balance between comedy and drama in her work.
Notable Works: Wedding Season, Rules of the Game, Britannia.
Samson Kayo as Cashman
DOB: June 20, 1991.
Bio: British actor, writer, and producer from South London.
He rose to prominence through sharp, character-driven comedy that often highlights Black British life with both humor and heart.
Role: Cashman, Joshua Pearce’s cousin and manager.
Cashman keeps Joshua grounded away from the racetrack, handling business pressures, contract disputes, and family dynamics.
What to Expect: Street-smart energy, emotional loyalty, and comic relief with heart.
Favorite Things: Kayo often speaks about storytelling, representation, and keeping comedy culturally sharp.
Notable Works: Bloods, Sliced, Our Flag Means Death, Timewasters.
More Actors
• Simon Kunz as Don Cavendish.
• Liz Kingsman as Lisbeth Bampton.
• Luciano Bacheta as Luca Cortez.
• Shea Whigham as Chip Hart.
• Kyle Rankin as Cale Kelso.
• Max Verstappen as Himself (cameo).
• Lewis Hamilton as Himself (cameo and producer).
• Lando Norris as Himself (cameo).
• Fernando Alonso as Himself (cameo).
• Valtteri Bottas as Himself (cameo).
• Charles Leclerc as Himself (cameo).
• Sergio Pérez as Himself (cameo).
• George Russell as Himself (cameo).
• Carlos Sainz Jr. as Himself (cameo).
• Toto Wolff as Himself (cameo).
• Christian Horner as Himself (cameo).
• Zak Brown as Himself (cameo).
• Stefano Domenicali as Himself (cameo).
• Tiesto as Himself (cameo).
• Patrick Long as (cameo co-driver at Daytona).
FAQ – F1: The Movie (2025)
Is F1: The Movie based on a true story?
No, it’s a fictional sports drama.
However, the character Sonny Hayes was inspired by real-life F1 driver Martin Donnelly, who had a career-ending crash in 1990.
Brad Pitt even worked with Donnelly to shape his character, and real crash footage was incorporated for authenticity.
Where was the movie filmed?
The production uniquely filmed during real Grand Prix events in 2023 and 2024.
They captured on-track scenes during practice and qualifying sessions with filming slots so tight, they called it “like a pit stop.” More on PetaPixel
Do real Formula 1 stars appear in the film?
Yes, several F1 drivers and personalities appear as themselves.
This includes stars like Lewis Hamilton (also a producer), Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso, and many more, including team principals and commentators.
Did Brad Pitt and Damson Idris really drive at race speeds?
Yes, After months of training, both actors drove real, modified F2 cars at speeds reaching 180–200 mph.
The vehicles were customized with aerodynamic tweaks and Indy car-style camera rigging, all overseen by Mercedes engineers to maintain safety and authenticity.
Which iconic race tracks and F1 stars appear in the movie?
F1: The Movie was shot at legendary venues like Silverstone, Monza, Spa, Abu Dhabi, Mexico City, and Las Vegas.
The car grid features famous F1 drivers and team figures, including Leclerc, Verstappen, Alonso, Hamilton, Brundle, Croft, and more, adding real-world weight to the fiction.
Conclusion
F1: The Movie (2025) delivers exactly what racing fans and movie lovers hoped for, an adrenaline-pumping ride that balances spectacle with heart.
While it follows a familiar underdog sports formula, its authenticity, emotional depth, and breathtaking racing sequences set it apart.
Brad Pitt brings gravitas as a veteran racer, Damson Idris injects raw energy as the rising star, and Joseph Kosinski’s direction ensures every roar of the engine feels larger than life.
With stellar visuals, a talented cast, and a story that blends legacy, ambition, and teamwork, the film captures the essence of Formula 1 both on and off the track.
Whether you’re a die-hard motorsport fan or simply love a good comeback story, this film crosses the finish line as one of 2025’s most exciting cinematic experiences.