F1: Cliché Yet Thrilling

Formula 1 (F1), the highest class of international single-seater racing, has experienced a surge in U.S. popularity over the last few years. The sport was already widely followed internationally, but it has found new attention through the integration of American celebrities, increased presence on social media, the popular Netflix behind-the-scenes series Formula 1: Drive to Survive (2019-2025), and the expansion of races aimed at increasing American viewership, such as the new Las Vegas street circuit. To capitalize on this soaring traction, Formula 1 partnered with several producers—including Jerry Bruckenheimer, who also produced Top Gun: Maverick (2022)—to create the film F1: The Movie (2025). The film positions itself as not only a classic sports drama but also as a form of advertising for Formula 1’s emerging place in American popular culture. While the movie does rely on repetitive clichés, delivering a plotline that caters to newer fans and casual viewers of F1, it is still thrilling and successfully encapsulates the high-stakes world of Formula 1 and its drivers. 

F1 follows the fictional Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a former F1 driver whose career was cut short by a devastating crash in 1993. The film opens with Hayes, now a freelance racer, driving during the 24 Hours of Daytona—an endurance race for a different motorsports series—where he secures the win for his team. Hayes then encounters his old teammate, Rubén Cervantes (Javier Bardem), the owner of the Apex Grand Prix (APXGP) F1 team. Cervantes convinces Hayes to return to F1, having him attend a test day, where he meets Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), his rookie teammate, and Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), the team’s technical director. Despite the mutual dislike between Hayes and Pearce, Hayes soon starts racing, with ups and downs that eventually lead to the team finishing in the top 10—of 20—for the first time. During the next race, however, Pearce ignores Hayes’s advice, attempts an overtake, and crashes, resulting in him missing three races and harming his relationship with Hayes further. After a vulnerable moment with McKenna, a discouraged Hayes races recklessly, landing himself in the hospital after crashing again. There, Hayes is confronted with reality, and he is forced to decide where his loyalties lie and if he truly wishes to remain in F1. 

F1’s action sequences are among its major highlights. The visuals and audio combine to make the viewer feel as if they’re in the cockpit themselves, racing alongside the actors. The Hans Zimmer soundtrack flows flawlessly with the cuts and edits of these scenes, allowing the viewer to feel every twist and turn of the car. The track “See You Down the Road” is used during the final, most pivotal race of the season, highlighting the stress and pressure of driving an F1 car while also adding a sense of drama and anxiety for the viewers. Due to their partnership with Formula 1, F1’s production team was able to borrow official cars and use real tracks, making race scenes even more realistic. Additionally, the inclusion of actual Formula 1 drivers brought F1 closer to reality, with real drivers being shown during podium shots and even race scenes. Pitt and Idris were also allowed to join in on race activities during real F1 events, including setting the cars up on the track. 

Pitt and Idriz deliver performances that match this intensity, portraying as much depth as they could given the shallow plot. Pitt manages to exhibit real emotions and give the unfortunately generic Sonny Hayes substance. Despite the lack of scenes that display Hayes’s true emotions and sorrow, Pitt is able to show the viewers the pain and guilt Hayes carries with him, using details such as a stilted walk to emphasize Hayes’s age and weakness in contrast to the egoistic attitude he normally displays. A transparent, open conversation between Hayes and McKenna allows viewers another glimpse into the true pressure each of the characters feels, with Pitt’s acting emphasizing how Hayes’s conceited, arrogant personality is a facade. 

F1’s main shortcoming is its predictable and cliché-ridden plot. From the start, F1 follows the predictable story of an underdog who, with the support of his team and partners, rises to victory against all odds. The film double-dips into cheesy sports drama territory with its secondary plot: the familiar story of an old talent returning to a sport, facing a few struggles, and eventually, against all odds, completing what he was unable to do the first time around. Pearce represents the typical movie rookie—cocky, arrogant, and conceited—something that varies from the attitudes of real F1 rookies, who are generally grateful to have been selected for the prestigious series. The movie fails to showcase the nuance and depth of the relationships between drivers in actual racing, even with the tense dynamic between Pearce and Hayes. Most of the interactions in F1 feel forced, designed to work conveniently with major plot points instead of representing genuine relationships. For example, despite their mutual dislike for a majority of two and a half hours, Hayes and Pearce resolve their issues just in time for the final, climactic race, making their relationship feel rushed and surface-level. 

F1 is an exhilarating movie that, despite the weak plot, grips viewers and keeps their attention throughout. The soundtrack and cinematography are well-produced, leading to action scenes that embody the actual experience of watching a Formula 1 race. F1: The Movie gives up the nuances of F1 and of storytelling to make the movie palatable for everyone, even for those with limited knowledge of racing. While its lack of realism may not satisfy Formula 1 enthusiasts or cinephiles, it is still pleasant and gripping, and will certainly add more fuel to the Formula 1 hype fire that it was born from.