F1 follows the story of racer Sonny Hayes, a driver who needed to retire from Method 1 after a devastating crash. The character, performed by Brad Pitt, later returns to the game with some persuasion from Javier Bardem’s Ruben Cervantes. He goes on to race for the Apex Grand Prix crew and mentor rookie Joshua “Noah” Pearce, performed by Damson Idris.
The sports activities drama, due out in theaters on June 27, 2025, has generated a ton of buzz for its fast-paced scenes stuffed with adrenaline. The movie additionally stars Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies and Shea Whigham.
Because the movie was first introduced, many have questioned if the story relies on the true lifetime of a racer or if it’s a piece of fiction.
Us Weekly breaks down whether or not or not there’s some fact to the movie.
Was ‘F1’ Filmed at Actual Races?
F1 was filmed at actual grand prix races that passed off from 2023 to 2024. Pitt and Damson really received behind the wheel of actual life race automobiles to movie scenes for the film.
“Each time you see Brad or Damson driving [in] this film, they’re driving on their very own in certainly one of these actual race automobiles on an actual F1 observe,” director Joseph Kosinski revealed per the F1 web site. “In order that’s type of how we approached the making of this movie.”
Pitt mirrored on tackling the position headfirst and embracing the race automobile driver mentality whereas portraying Sonny.
“It’s like nothing I’ve ever skilled earlier than,” he advised Additional on the movie’s New York Metropolis premiere on June 16, 2025. “There’s this unusual calm that occurs within the automobile and this complete focus and presence that, like, I’ve by no means skilled from the rest.”

Brad Pitt Mark Thompson/Getty Photographs
Is ‘F1’ Primarily based on a True Story?
Whereas F1 was filmed at actual races, the film isn’t primarily based on a real story. The objective of the solid and crew was to make a film that was as “genuine” to the game as attainable.
“We skilled like 4 months out of the 12 months to actually hone our craft in these autos — and we additionally did it whereas having to behave and attempt to look cute and say your strains,” Idris advised The Hollywood Reporter on the movie’s NYC premiere.
He continued, “Whenever you watch this film, it’s probably the most genuine racing film of all time; I can’t stress that sufficient. And that was the objective we set out for ourselves. So I’m so proud. I’m so joyful that huge films are coming again.”
The scenes within the movie had been all met with the precision and accuracy with which real-life race automobile drivers strategy the game. In reality, racer Lewis Hamilton was introduced on as a producer for the movie to make sure the film’s authenticity.
“He gave us all the arrogance on the planet in making this film,” Apple Worldwide Video chief Zack Van Amburg stated forward of the movie’s launch, per Selection. “With out Lewis, we wouldn’t have had the outcomes we had. I don’t suppose Method 1, with out [Hamilton’s] private stamp of approval, would have opened up the race tracks the way in which they did to the movie and to the actors who had been immediately on the market on the grid with actual race automobiles.”

