Hamilton delivers F1 Brad Pitt film update

Ewan Gale
Saturday 1 October 2022 10:03 - Updated: 08:23

Lewis Hamilton has praised the steps taken by the film industry to improve diversity as preparations for his own F1-themed film continue to take shape.

The British driver has a film in development which he will help produce, with Brad Pitt set to be the lead actor and Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski also on the project.

Apple announced the film ahead of this season's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the basis set around a returning F1 veteran, played by Pitt.

Providing an update on the project, Hamilton, who recently spent time with Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer, said: "At the moment we're still working through the script.

"I've been out in LA. It wasn't this trip, but the one before, visiting Jerry's office, which was pretty epic, and sitting with Brad [Pitt] and Joe [Kosinski] and just going through the plot and the plan. It was a pretty epic kind of experience.

"This time, I was just hanging with Jerry. Yeah, we were on set of another movie that was being filmed, which was Eddie Murphy's movie, which was very, very cool. Huge fan of Eddie Murphy, so I got the chance to meet him.

"And yeah, getting to work and spending time with these people.

"You're just learning more about the industry and the challenges and how they go about making great movies that we've all grown to love throughout our lives.

"I got to hang with some of the guys that do John Wick, just filming John Wick 4 as well. So just having lots of conversations and trying to learn as much as I can from all these great and talented people."

Hamilton still waiting to meet Spielberg

Hamilton has been a leading advocate of diversification and equal rights in F1 and has since taken his work past the sport, moving into part-ownership of the NFL's Denver Broncos franchise.

The film industry has struggled to tackle diversity issues in the past but is well on its way to improvement, with the steps taken impressing Mercedes driver Hamilton.

"We arrive at a movie theatre and with no comprehension of how much work goes on in the background, how much preparation there is, how big a team there is in the background," he explained.

"They have similar issues with diversity, for example, in terms of behind the camera.

"What I'm most impressed by is seeing some of the organisations for example, like Disney, the real steps… They're really pushing for diversity.

"They've got a lot of female leadership throughout the different companies, which is great to see, and you’ve already seen on TV today, for example, the new Ariel movie that's coming out.

"I don't know if any of you saw the video of the young kids that are watching and that she's the same colour as me.

"So there's a lot of work that's been done in the industry and there's so much to learn from these people that have been there, the greats.

"Still to meet [Steven] Spielberg - one day!"