This summer,F1will bring the high-speed danger and thrills of Formula 1to the big screen, under the watchful eye of directorJoseph Kosinski. A few days ago, Collider was invited to attend a special Q&A for the Apple Original Films & Warner Bros. movie with Kosinski following the press unveiling of the film’s official trailer, where he detailed the extensive preparation involved, fromBrad Pitt’sdriving trainingto filming at real Grand Prix events under the microscope of the elite teams involved. The film, which has also been produced by F1 World ChampionLewis Hamilton, is trying to be the most immersive racing movie ever made, and according to Kosinski, every frame ofF1was designed to capture the raw speed and precision of the sport.
To ensure authenticity,Pitt andDamson Idris, who plays the film’s rookie driver, Joshua Pearce, underwent rigorous training before stepping into real race cars.“Brad and Damson are both driving in this film, and to get them into these race cars, it required months—literally months—of training,“Kosinski revealed.The first day of training was a high-stakes test, with Hamilton personally assessing Pitt’s abilities behind the wheel: “Lewis was really interested in seeing if Brad could drive because if he couldn’t, this whole film wasn’t going to work. What he was happy to discover was that Brad had a lot of natural ability right from the start,” Kosinski said.
While Pitt has experiencewith motorcycles, Kosinski noted that his immediate comfort in high-speed racing was a major relief for the production.“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,“he emphasized. And that action took place in the heart of Formula 1, too. One of the most ambitious aspects ofF1wasshooting at actual Grand Prix events. Instead of using controlled sets, Kosinski and his team filmed between official race sessions, working around the schedules of real F1 drivers. “We were actually there on race weekends, finding these time slots between practice and qualifying that Formula One graciously afforded us,” he explained. The tight schedule meant the cast and crew had only 10 to 15 minutes at a time to capture pivotal racing sequences.
“We had to have Brad and Damson ready in the cars, warmed up with hot tires, ready to go. As soon as practice ended, they would pull out onto the track.”
Kosinski also credited the film’s authenticity to the trust built with real F1 teams and drivers, who allowed the production to operate within their world, adding:“When they saw how determined we were tomake it authentic and represent their sportin the absolute best way we could, they embraced us. To have them play themselves in the film and to shoot on the track alongside them showed a level of trust that was really remarkable.”
Hans Zimmer Will Elevate ‘F1’ With The Score
To match the intensity of the racing sequences, Kosinski once again partnered withHans Zimmer, who previously scoredTop Gun: Maverick.“Hans has a lot to compete with sound-wise in this movie, so he really brought it,” Kosinski teased, while capturing the authentic sound of F1 cars was equally critical.
“We have a sound designer, Al Nelson, also fromTop Gun: Maverick. He was at the track recording all the real sounds of the cars. We even got microphones on the real F1 cars, which was a huge challenge.”
Zimmer’s score aims to complement the film’s intense audio design with an emotional core. “What Hans does, few composers can do. He can write a real theme, a real melody that you just can’t get out of your head. And he’s written another one here that I can’t wait for people to hear,“Kosinski added.
The movie will premiere globally on June 25 before opening in North America on June 27. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates onF1hitting the track.
