F1 film given honest reaction as critics pile in on Brad Pitt and Lewis Hamilton production

brad pitt, f1 film, lewis hamilton — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Movie

F1 film given honest reaction as critics pile in on Brad Pitt and Lewis Hamilton production

The much-anticipated film comes out later this month

Chris Deeley

Saturday 7 June 2025 18:58

Early reactions to Brad Pitt and Damson Idris' Formula 1 film have started pouring in, with critics getting some early screenings of the movie co-produced by Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton.

The good news for F1 fans and anyone else looking forward to paying £7 for a bucket of popcorn big enough to lose a medium-sized dog or small child in? The early response has been very positive!

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While it's unlikely to have the sort of impact on the sport's popularity that Netflix docu-series Drive to Survive has – after all, it's not like fans are going to be able to see Pitt's Sonny Hayes on Sky Sports week-in, week-out – the on-track action shots and presence of a number of real life F1 stars should help it pack a punch.

Ferrari star Hamilton was attached to the film in an oversight role to help get the details of the sport as close to life as possible, with the trailers showing some incredible onboard shots, but the verdict is now in over whether he did a good job at making the film believable or not.

What have critics said about the F1 movie?

Variety's Jazz Tangcay tweeted after a screening: "WOW! [The F1 movie] is an action-packed thrilling look at the world of F1 racing, with lots of grit. The sound, score and cinematography are flawless. Damson Idris and Brad Pitt are great! Absolutely Obsessedddddd"

Meanwhile, the magazine's awards editor Clayton Davis added: "F1 the Movie is the Jerry and Joe Show! Bruckheimer and Kosinski really do make audacious entertainment together. Academy...don't do Claudio Miranda dirty again on this one. Brad Pitt and Damson Idris shine brightest when sharing the screen. Race to see this one in IMAX."

The film was also compared to Joseph Kosinski and Jerry Bruckheimer's 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, one of the biggest cinematic success stories since screens reopened following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Erik Davis of Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes wrote on social media: "Joseph Kosinski’s F1 the Movie hits the gas and doesn’t stop. The races are epic, the sound design, editing, cinematography, performances and music are all top notch. You definitely feel shades of Top Gun: Maverick in that it plays like an old school summer blockbuster. What a ride."

F1 will be released worldwide on June 25, 2025, when you can make up your own mind!