F1: The Movie – Our writers have their say

Can I get your five-word movie review? 

Ben Hunt: Good for non-F1 fans.

Mark Mann-Bryans: Not good for anyone watching.

What were your thoughts on the racing scenes?

BH: A lot has been made of the technology. The director used similar techniques to what they used in Top Gun, but they’ve gone even further with this. We’ve heard about camera mounting points and techniques that could be used in future F1 broadcasts. The racing scenes were high quality – well shot. One criticism might be that there was too much racing, but overall, it looked good.

Emily Selleck: And we saw it in IMAX, which I think is the best way to enjoy it.

MMB: There’s no way to enjoy it. 

What about the storylines surrounding the racing? 

MMB: Ben’s right – the racing looks amazing. The tech was impressive. Apple embedded iPhone-style cameras into the cars, which was only possible because of the incredible access that F1 gave them. Everyone worked collaboratively to make the film.

But I had issues. While the racing looked great, the story was unrealistic. Brad Pitt’s character, Sonny Hayes, returns after 30 years away and instantly becomes the hero. He crashes into cars on purpose, holds others up – if he were Max Verstappen, he’d already have 12 penalty points.

I get that it’s Hollywood, but it doesn’t reflect real F1. And if this is how people are introduced to the sport, they’ll think it’s all cheating and fireballs.

ES: We asked producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joe Kosinski about that this morning. They said the film is for a general audience who don’t know anything about the sport. But if this is their introduction to F1, they’ll assume it’s a sport where cheating is the norm.

MMB: Overtaking from back to front in one lap, constant drama – it’s just not realistic.

What did you make of the storyline beyond the track? 

MMB: It’s quite weak. There’s a love story that doesn’t go anywhere. It’s all quite predictable. Someone who hadn’t even seen the trailers could correctly guess the storyline.

Honestly, this would’ve worked better as a 10-part Apple TV series. But because it had to be a summer blockbuster, they packed it into two and a half hours. There’s not much to love.

BH: I think it’s for a different audience. We’re being critical because we’re cynical Brits – and an Aussie. But like Netflix, maybe it’s just about dramatising reality for entertainment.

F1 Movie scene

Photo by: Apple

MMB: But even then, the story just wasn’t strong. It’ll make money, it’ll be successful, but that doesn’t mean it’s good. Most people I spoke to last night felt the same. Brad Pitt was a bit wooden – maybe that’s down to the dialogue – but something was missing.

ES: One criticism that I don’t think stems from our cynicism as reporters is the way women are portrayed. You can tell Lewis Hamilton wanted to highlight diversity and we saw women in technical roles, but then they undercut that by making the technical director the love interest.

She designed a backmarker car, and suddenly it improves only after Brad Pitt’s feedback. A female pit crew member makes basic errors, and while it’s a good story arc, why do all the female characters have to show weakness?

MMB: That character didn’t even have a name. She was just “wheel gun girl”. It was reductive.

BH: There were lots of underdeveloped storylines. They focused on authenticity in the racing, which they nailed – thanks to Hamilton being an executive producer and offering genuine racing feedback.

But other story elements fell flat. The two drivers both lost their fathers at 13 – a potential emotional hook – but it wasn’t developed. Pitt’s character carries a playing card, but we never learn why.

MMB: So many story strands went nowhere. I wrote a review for Autosport and said that creating a whole fake team – APX GP – with a team principal, technical director, mechanic, two drivers…that’s a lot to develop in two hours.

ES: So what you’re saying is: we want “F2?” 

F1 Movie scene

Photo by: Apple

Let’s end on a positive note. Any final takeaways?

BH: It’ll appeal to a wider audience. They’ve made it for the American fan, and test marketing suggests it’ll be a hit in the US. It’s good for the sport. Even negative reviews generate conversation. You’re seeing the F1 logo in cities, and the film is called F1: The Movie. That kind of visibility is valuable.

MMB: I agree. Whether it’s good or not, it’ll be big. It’s got Brad Pitt, a massive budget, and a summer release date. It doesn’t need to be great to be successful.

ES: It’s going to make money, no doubt. I’m curious to see what entertainment critics – who aren’t embedded in the world of F1 like we are – think of it.