F1 Movie: Brad Pitt defends F1 star after brutal exit

Brad Pitt at the filming of his F1 film at Silverstone — Photo: © IMAGO

Formula 1

Brad Pitt defends F1 star after brutal exit

Brad Pitt defended an axed F1 star

By Sheona Mountford.

Tuesday 24 June 2025 19:00

Brad Pitt has defended an F1 star and revealed his surprise 'love' for the driver after their axe from the sport.

The 61-year-old Hollywood actor has been a frequent guest in the F1 paddock over the past couple of years, starring as the lead character Sonny Hayes in the Lewis Hamilton-produced feature film.

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However, the seven-time world champion was not the only driver Pitt admired during his time filming, where he also named a surprise star.

When asked by Reforma if there were any similarities between his character and Mexican racing driver Sergio Perez, Pitt revealed his ‘love’ for the former F1 star and how disappointed he was that he was axed from Red Bull at the end of 2024.

“They're the best drivers in the world. It seems to me that this sport is much more critical of someone's performance than even our industry [film] , which I thought was the most critical of all. They [drivers] must have thicker skin than us actors.

"Just reaching that spot, being one of just 20 people on the grid, is a huge achievement in itself, and driving one of the best cars on the grid puts you on another level. And yes, I'm curious to know what Checo Perez will do next.”

Pitt reveals soft spot for Perez

Pitt may have reason to celebrate in 2026 however, with Perez one of the favourite drivers to secure a coveted seat with new F1 team Cadillac.

The American team will join the sport next year but are yet to decide on their driver lineup with several names in contention, from ex-F1 stars such as Valtteri Bottas and Mick Schumacher to IndyCar driver Colton Herta.

Cadillac advisor Mario Andretti has confirmed that Perez is one of their candidates, but the team have been tight-lipped about the details of their driver talks.

Perez was axed from Red Bull at the end of 2024, after he failed to match team-mate Max Verstappen and his performances resulted in a drop to third in the constructors' championship for the team.

However, Perez’s subsequent replacements Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have also performed poorly in the second Red Bull seat and the Mexican's stock has once again risen.