‘F1’ Teaser: Brad Pitt and Damson Idris Team Up on the Racecourse in Joseph Kosinski’s Latest Adrenaline Fueled Epic

Harrison Richlin
·3 min read

If Joseph Kosinski’s last film “Top Gun: Maverick” is any metric, his next film “F1,” starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris as teammates in the world of Formula 1 racing, is set up to be another propulsive, edge-of-your set experience about man’s bond with machine and the limits it can take you to.

Kosinski filmed actual scenes at last year’s British Grand Prix, as well as other races throughout the season, incorporating footage of actors actually behind the wheel of F1 vehicles along with real-life drivers like Lewis Hamilton.

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In addition to Pitt and Idris, “F1” also boasts a cast that includes Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Tobias Menzies, Sarah Niles, Kim Bodnia, and Samson Kayo.

According to the official synopsis of the film, “F1” follows former Formula 1 driver Sonny Hayes (Pitt), who is lured back to the sport to partner rookie teammate Joshua Pearce (Idris) at the fictional APXGP team. The teaser below sees Pitt’s character working with Condon’s to make the car he’s driving more dangerous, giving it a differentiating factor from other teams on the grid. The film also captures the fervor of F1, not just from the fans, but all the personalities who make up this unique sports world.

Describing his character to Sky Sports last year, Pitt said, “I would be a guy who raced in the ‘90s. He has a horrible crash, kind of craps out and disappears, and then is racing in other disciplines. And then his friend, played by Javier Bardem, is a team owner. They’re a last place team, they’re 21 or 22 on the grid, they’ve never scored a point. And they have a young phenom played by Damson Idris, and he brings me in as kind of a Hail Mary. And hijinx ensue.”

“F1” is an Apple Original Films production and is produced by Kosinski, Jerry Bruckheimer and Chad Oman of Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner for Plan B Entertainment, and Hamilton under his Dawn Apollo Films banner. The film also teamed up with Formula 1? and the F1 community, including the 10 F1 teams and their drivers, the FIA, and race promoters.

Cinephiles may be reminded of a similar film from 1966, the sports drama “Grand Prix.” Starring an international cast including James Garner, Yves Montand, Toshiro Mifune, and Eva Marie Saint, the John Frankenheimer production shot on location with real race-car drivers like Phil Hill, Jim Clark, and Jochen Rindt. “Grand Prix” would go on to win three Academy-Awards for Sound, Sound Effects, and Editing, but it’s unique racing cinematography makes it a standout and offers a hopeful vision of what “F1” may have to offer.

Warner Bros. Pictures is handling the theatrical global distribution of the film for Apple, releasing the film in IMAX? and other formats, only in theaters, starting internationally on June 25, 2025, followed by a North American rollout on June 27, 2025.

Watch the teaser trailer, which debuted during Sunday’s British Grand Prix, below.

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