BRAD Pitt takes the lead in this blockbuster sporting underdog story about the trials and tribulations of a veteran racing driver.
It is directed by Joseph Kosinski, best known for his innovative technical work on 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick.
The film was made in collaboration with the FIA, the governing body of Formula One and features a cameo appearance from Lewis Hamilton, who serves as a producer alongside Pitt and Kosinski.
While the cynic in some of us might be tempted to fear that this movie is simply an elaborate feature length advert for the sport, the enthusiasm and craftsmanship that has gone into making it ensures that this doesn’t turn out to be the case.
Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a brilliant but underachieving racing driver most agree is well past his prime.
After three decades behind the wheel, Sonny has apparently failed to live up to his potential.
He leads a nomadic lifestyle, racing on a short term for-hire basis, including a gig racing at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Out of the blue, an old friend in the shape of Formula One team owner Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) meets up with Sonny with an incredible offer.
It turns out Sonny and Ruben used to race together for an F1 team in the early 90s before a terrible accident forced Sonny to retire.
Ruben wants Sonny to join his struggling team APXGP as a driver for the forthcoming season. The team needs to win at least one race this season or the board of directors will force through a sale.
He hopes that Sonny’s unconventional racing style will give APXGP the edge they need, while acting as a mentor for young teammate Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris).
Sparks fly and rubber burns when Sonny agrees to take the role, with not all on Team APXGP, especially Joshua, agreeing that Sonny is the man for the job.
Ron Howard’s 2013 classic Rush, about the intense rivalry between Ferrari drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda, was a much harder-edged depiction of Formula One.
Joseph Kosinski’s F1 is pretty much the exact opposite, in that it’s a much more conventional portrayal of the sport.
Thankfully, this movie manages to transcend its corporate trappings to deliver a technically impressive, often thrilling racing movie that rises on the relaxed chemistry of its leading actors.
Pitt is at his easy-going best as Sonny, the classic sports movie trope of the nearly man, with Idris proving the perfect foil as the young prodigious rival.
Both actors trained with Formula Two cars in preparation and actually perform some of the training seen in the final film.
Pitt also plays off Bardem well, the latter stealing scenes as the passionate but fretful team owner.
The tone of the film is set in the first scene as Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” is cranked over footage of the opening race.
The subsequent racing scenes have a similar intensity, thanks to Kosinski’s direction.
The brilliance of the aerial sequences in the Top Gun sequel has essentially been shifted to terra firma for this movie.
These sequences were largely shot during real F1 races during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, hence their striking authenticity.
These set-pieces, particularly the final race in Abu Dhabi, are often enthralling and showcase just how impressive a director of action Kosinski can be.
F1 may be formula storytelling but its technical acumen and ensemble cast give it a tremendous boost.
RATING: ****
Matthew McCaul