F1 hits German theaters on June 25: Lead actor Brad Pitt spilled the beans and revealed what he said to all the F1 stars at the start of filming.
Even Formula 1 veteran Fernando Alonso is likely to be green with envy: Hollywood legend Brad Pitt celebrated his 60th birthday in 2023 – and at the same time starred as fictional Formula 1 driver Sonny Hayes in the blockbuster “F1.”
The film will finally be released in Germany on June 25, and to mark the occasion, Pitt recalls the beginnings of filming in that summer two years ago in a major cover story for GQ magazine: At the 2023 British Grand Prix in Silverstone, it wasn’t just the 20 F1 stars who suddenly found themselves on the starting grid alongside the real Formula 1 stars, but also Pitt and his film partner Damson Idris.
The two had already taken part in the drivers’ briefing, which was extremely unusual, as visits to the illustrious circle of drivers are anything but the order of the day. But Pitt used the opportunity to make it clear to the professionals how they should treat him and his film crew: “If we ever get in your way, just tell us to fuck off,” the Hollywood star said, making it clear who was boss.
Pitt drives in front of 80,000 fans: “I didn’t wreck the car.”
His approach to the role and the world of Formula 1 was rather “humble and reserved,” according to Pitt, who clarifies: “I had enormous respect for these guys and this sport.” Nevertheless, he felt very welcome: “We were at Silverstone – my goodness, what a great track,” recalls the actor, who had previously trained hard in a race car alongside co-star Idris in Le Castellet in the south of France and on several British race tracks.
But in a Formula 1 Grand Prix, the pressure was naturally a little greater: “We were standing on the grid next to the real drivers. The TV broadcast would cut us out, but our cameras captured everything, we were really in the thick of it,” Pitt still recalls fondly today: “It was a fantastic weekend, everything went like clockwork, everyone was on an adrenaline rush.” Including himself, after all, he had “driven in front of 80,000 spectators.”
Pitt proudly states, “I didn’t wreck the car, crash into the wall, or end up in the gravel bed—everything went perfectly.” But it was off the track, of all places, that he got a cold shower a few days later: a strike by film workers brought the entire industry to a standstill: “The strike began and I was devastated. I didn’t know what to do with myself, I ran into walls and just thought: Man, we were so close!” says Pitt.
Although this brought production to a sudden halt, from today’s perspective, now that the film has come to a successful conclusion, Pitt can see something positive in the delay: “It was probably the best thing that could have happened to the film – and to me,” laughs Pitt: “Because it meant I could keep driving for another whole year.”
