F1 – Film Review

F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), roars onto the screen with the promise of technical excellence, emotional redemption, and on-track spectacle. With a screenplay by Ehren Kruger (Top Gun: Maverick, Ghost in the Shell), the film rides the line between adrenaline-fueled action and mentor-mentee character dynamics, buoyed by a charismatic turn from Brad Pitt. As a showcase for the sport of Formula One, it’s a compelling drama that mostly sticks the landing — even when it occasionally runs wide into familiar genre clichés.

Brad Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver turned New York City cabbie and professional gambler. After a devastating crash in the 1990s that ended his career prematurely, Sonny drifted into obscurity, disillusioned and detached from the sport he once loved. When Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), the flamboyant owner of the underdog Apex Grand Prix team (APXGP), approaches Sonny with an offer to return — not just as a mentor, but as a driver — he’s thrust back into the elite world of Formula One. His new mission: guide and compete alongside rising star Joshua “Noah” Pearce, played with electric energy by Damson Idris.

The film’s dramatic core lies in the combustible relationship between Hayes and Pearce. Sonny is old-school grit and instinct, a relic of a more analog racing era. Noah is young, technically-minded, and reckless in a way that’s both brilliant and dangerous. Their dynamic is archetypal but effectively drawn: teacher vs. student, past vs. future, legacy vs. potential. Pitt and Idris develop a prickly, begrudging respect as the film progresses, giving the movie its emotional traction.

Where F1 excels without question is in its technical craftsmanship. Kosinski, working again with cinematographer Claudio Miranda, creates some of the most immersive racing sequences ever put on film. Collaborating with the FIA and using real-world Formula One teams and technology, F1 offers an authentic, visceral portrayal of the sport. The cockpit-mounted cameras, practical stunts, and surround-sound design place the viewer inches from the tarmac — every tire squeal, gear shift, and near-collision feels physically present.

The racing scenes are dynamic and fluid, not just in their visual intensity but in how they mirror character beats. The film understands that the sport’s power lies not just in speed, but in the psychology of those who dare to master it.

The ensemble cast provides more than just background texture. Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin) is sharp and grounded as Kate McKenna, the APXGP technical director who becomes both Sonny’s confidante and moral compass. Tobias Menzies brings a cool bureaucratic menace as Peter Banning, a corporate executive eager to leverage the team’s new publicity for sponsorship deals. Javier Bardem, meanwhile, injects Ruben with manic charisma and emotional complexity; his past with Sonny adds a layer of regret and camaraderie that deepens the narrative.

While these relationships offer substance, some arcs are left undercooked. Kate’s dynamic with Sonny hints at deeper history and romantic tension but is never fully explored. Banning’s corporate machinations feel like a subplot introduced for third-act conflict rather than integrated meaningfully throughout. The film’s second act sags slightly as it juggles the evolving team drama with exposition-heavy detours into the sport’s technical side.

What elevates F1 above the standard sports movie fare is its treatment of aging and legacy. Pitt’s Hayes is not just a comeback kid — he’s a man confronting time, relevance, and personal demons. His career ended in a blaze of broken machinery and broken confidence, and now he’s racing not just to mentor Pearce, but to reclaim a piece of himself. It’s a smart decision to cast Pitt in this role — his real-life age and screen gravitas make Sonny feel lived-in, not stylized. There’s genuine poignancy in watching a man with nothing to prove rediscover the thrill of competition for its own sake.

Meanwhile, Noah Pearce isn’t reduced to a one-note prodigy. Damson Idris plays him as volatile and brilliant, with both arrogance and insecurity brewing under the helmet. The film doesn’t shy away from the pressures placed on young drivers — branding, social media, expectations — and shows how these elements can erode focus and identity. The generational contrast between Sonny and Noah adds thematic depth, making their rivalry one of mutual learning rather than dominance.

Despite its many strengths, F1 occasionally plays things too safe. The beats are familiar: the grizzled veteran’s return, the hotheaded rookie who must learn humility, the big race that tests them both. There’s a predictability to the narrative arc that keeps it from truly transcending its genre. Compared to Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick, which balanced nostalgia with innovation, F1 feels more restrained — less willing to take storytelling risks beyond its technical dazzle.

Additionally, the film doesn’t spend much time interrogating the more complicated sides of Formula One — its politics, environmental criticisms, or the stark contrast between wealth and danger. These are acknowledged but left in the rearview mirror in favor of a more inspirational tone. That choice makes sense for a mainstream sports drama, but it’s a missed opportunity to dig deeper into the world it so beautifully recreates.

F1 is a sleek, emotionally satisfying sports drama that delivers the high-speed thrills its title promises. Joseph Kosinski proves once again he’s a master of immersive spectacle, while Brad Pitt turns in one of his most quietly affecting performances in years. Damson Idris shines as a next-generation star, and the supporting cast lends texture to the behind-the-scenes machinations of professional racing.

It may not reinvent the genre, and its thematic ambitions could have been more daring, but F1 succeeds where it counts: it entertains, it moves, and it captures the intoxicating dance between man and machine. For fans of Formula One or classic underdog stories, it’s a ride worth taking — even if you know where the road leads.