F1 Movie star Brad Pitt issues Sonny Hayes-Lewis Hamilton battle verdict

F1 Movie

Brad Pitt issues Sonny Hayes-Lewis Hamilton battle verdict

The F1 movie is set for international release next week on June 25

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Tuesday 17 June 2025 19:46

Hollywood A-lister Brad Pitt has declared his verdict over whether he could beat F1 legend Lewis Hamilton in a race.

Pitt has undergone years of extensive training and clocked some serious mileage in F2 machinery in preparation for his role of Sonny Hayes in the highly anticipated F1 movie, but is it enough to beat the seven-time champion?

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Both Pitt and Hamilton worked tirelessly to ensure 'F1' was both realistic and entertaining to introduce the sport to the masses when it hits international theatres next week.

The British racing star worked on the upcoming movie as a producer with Pitt's Co-star Damson Idris revealing Hamilton's job was essentially to 'call BS' on any unrealistic scenes in the script.

The stylish trio were all present alongside fellow drivers and major F1 figures last night for the global premiere of the F1 movie in New York, with reviews now rolling in over the polarising project.

One question which amused Pitt during his red carpet appearance in Times Square was how he felt he would fare in an on-track battle against Hamilton.

Speaking to Variety at the event, Pitt declared: "There is not a chance in hell," when asked if he could beat Hamilton in a race.

"Lewis would lap me before I got to the end," the movie star continued.

The F1 movie has been present at real race weekends since 2023

Brad Pitt reveals tough preparation for F1 movie

Pitt stars in 'F1' as Hayes, a somewhat 'has-been' of a racer who is teamed up with rookie team-mate Joshua Pearce, portrayed by Idris, at the fictional F1 team APX GP.

The blockbuster follows the underdogs of the paddock as they battle with the real stars of F1 including Hamilton, his former team Mercedes, his new outfit Ferrari and of course, energy drink giants Red Bull, who boast the signature of reigning champion Max Verstappen even on the big screen.

Even though filming began in 2023, the process was significantly delayed due to the Hollywood actors' and writers' SAG strikes later that year, which saw the APX GP paddock left empty across many races such as Monza with no filming continuing until the British GP last year.

Despite the serious preparation and dedication to racecraft portrayed in Joseph Kosinski's movie, Pitt still seemed confident neither he nor his character Hayes could catch Hamilton, regardless of what machinery the 40-year-old was in.

The Hollywood actor didn't discount his own efforts however, revealing at the premiere: "We ended up driving for about two years, I was told that we drove 6000 miles in total in these cars so I'm kind of proud of that!"

Brad Pitt on if he could beat Lewis Hamilton in a race: "There's not a chance in hell." #F1TheMovie pic.twitter.com/SHypvdZQac
— Variety (@Variety) June 16, 2025