Lewis Hamilton’s F1 Movie is Fast, Flawed, Unmissable

Lewis Hamilton’s F1 Movie is Fast, Flawed, Unmissable originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Lewis Hamilton’s long anticipated F1 film, simply titled F1, isn’t just another shimmering Hollywood sports flick — it’s a turbocharged leap into the world’s fastest traveling circus, mixing pulse-pounding action with a bit of flaw.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, with Hamilton serving as both producer and authenticity guardian, the movie faced immense pressure to “get it right.”

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Formula 1 fans are notoriously unforgiving and hard to please. Yet against the odds, F1 is a gripping, visually electric experience that respects the sport. On top of that, Hans Zimmer’s roaring soundtrack is just icing on the cake.

Brad Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a retired driver who returns to the F1 track to help a struggling F1 team reach the top and mentor rookie Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris, halfway through the season.

On paper, it’s a recycled storyline, yet on screen it feels fresh thanks to the believable push and pull between Pitt and Idris, and countless behind-the-scenes touches only Hamilton could enforce. In fact, Hamilton insisted the director use real F1 commentators — David Croft and Martin Brundle instead of actors.

Brad Pitt, Lewis Hamilton, Tim Cook, and Damson Idris attends the F1 Movie premiere.Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

That pays off in a big way. From the visceral roar of engines at Silverstone to real-life team garages and driver cameos, it often feels like Drive to Survive, just with sharper visuals and a tighter story.

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But even Hamilton couldn’t keep everything on track. The film tries to juggle high-stakes racing with off-track drama, leading to an awkward driver dinner that tries too hard to blend off-track bonding.

A glaring misfire? “Plan C” — a wild plot twist where Sonny intentionally crashes multiple times to bring out a safety car and give Pearce a tactical advantage. Did they forget the Crashgate Scandal at 2008 Singapore GP? It’s an eye-roll moment for hardcore fans who know that orchestrating crashes is unthinkable in real F1.

The film also drops the ball on its female characters. Kate, the sport’s first female technical director on screen, is barely explored, missing a chance to show what it means to break barriers in such a male-dominated world. Meanwhile, a female pit crew member becomes another cliche — fumbling tools and enduring a smug “of course” from Pearce. Even if meant to highlight pressure, it comes off lazy and thin.

Still, F1 delivers on what matters most. Kosinski’s breathtaking sequences, Zimmer’s pulse-quickening score, Hamilton’s dedication to realism, the movie is loud, fast and a reckless thrill ride.

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Even if it doesn’t nail every turn, it gets the adrenaline rush absolutely right and for most fans, that’ll be enough to keep their hearts racing.

Related: Lewis Hamilton Called Out 'BS Scenes' in F1 Movie Says Damson Idris

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.