Brad Pitt’s “F1” looks fast, but plays loose

“F1: The Movie,” directed by Joseph Kosinski, stars Brad Pitt as veteran driver Sonny Hayes and Javier Bardem as Ruben Cervantes, the owner of the APXGP team, who convinces Brad Pitt’s character to return to Formula 1 racing after decades away to mentor a young rookie. Joshua “Noah” Pearce, portrayed by Damson Idris, is the rookie. The film delivers high-octane visuals, but often sacrifices realism for dramatic effect.

The film blends fiction with real-world racing by featuring actual Formula 1 drivers, team personnel, and behind-the-scenes figures throughout.

Critics from The Guardian, Reuters, and Business Insider have praised the film for its visually immersive quality. The movie, filmed at real Formula 1 races, features authentic drivers and tracks, thanks in part to its co-producer, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton. 

It’s a visually stunning film that brings the thrill of the track to life. Claudio Miranda’s cinematography and Hans Zimmer’s score work together to make the racing scenes feel intense and immediate, while nodding to the energy of classic racing films.

Viewers unfamiliar with motor sports will find “F1” riveting, a sentiment echoed in coverage by The Race and AP News, which note its broad appeal as a polished blockbuster rather than a niche racing drama. Brad Pitt does what he does best: He brings his calm, confidence, and easy-to-root-for qualities, making the whole underdog story unfold smoothly.

Motor sports purists and industry analysts point to an array of glaring inaccuracies. Fred Smith from Road & Track warned, “Good, but it will make racing fans wince,” citing Sonny Hayes’s reckless driving and unrealistic race craft. Divebomb Motorsport’s Isha Reshmi Mohan similarly lamented that “the sacred realism of the sport was missing,” even while admiring how the film makes the racing look downright thrilling.

Worse still, the film leans heavily into race manipulation, with the main character deliberately causing crashes to trigger safety cars, ultimately giving his teammate an unfair advantage. It’s a move that mirrors a real-life F1 scandal and would never fly under actual race regulations.

Beyond that, PlanetF1.com estimates that the number of penalties Hayes would accrue for such behavior, including holding up faster cars, ignoring flag warnings, and causing incidents, would ultimately result in his racing license being revoked in reality. For a film that pitched itself on realism, celebrating a lead who drives like a wrecking ball isn’t just off-brand, it’s borderline reckless for the sport’s reputation.

While the film attempts to build emotional weight through Hayes' relationship with Pearce and a romantic subplot withtechnical director Kate McKenna (played by Kerry Condon), critics agree that these elements feel rushed and underdeveloped. The Guardian called the film “vibrant and melodramatic,” but also pointed out that its emotional beats don’t quite land, leaving the story feeling a bit flat despite all the flash. Pitchfork’s The Pitch and The Daily Beast similarly highlight a flashy but somewhat hollow script, one that underdelivers in terms of character. It’s all speed and shine, but not much going on under the hood.

“F1: The Movie” is most enjoyable when you take it for what it is: big, bold, and built for spectacle. The IMAX experience cranks up the thrill, making every corner, crash, and roar of the engine feel larger than life. For those craving realism or a faithful portrayal of the sport, style has taken the wheel. Substance gets left in the pit lane.