The British Grand Prix at Silverstone witnessed the seamless convergence of two different worlds as Hollywood actor Brad Pitt and Formula One came together for the filming of an as-yet-unnamed movie about the sport. With Lewis Hamilton serving as a producer, the film project commenced shooting in front of the live audience, utilizing the British Grand Prix as both a set and a backdrop.

The movie revolves around the fictional 11th team, APX, with its own dedicated garage and pitwall stand. Pitt portrays the character of Sonny Hayes, while British actor Damson Idris plays Joshua Pearce. A converted F2 car, made to resemble an F1 car, is being used for filming during breaks between regular sessions and races throughout the weekend.
Hamilton has been actively involved in the film since its inception, and Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, revealed their close collaboration. Wolff shared, “I spoke to the director a few weeks ago expecting him to say he was in Hollywood. He said: ‘I am in my apartment in Brackley,’ so it’s not all great being a movie director…”
Apple Original Films is producing the project, directed by Joseph Kosinski, known for his work on “Top Gun: Maverick,” and produced by Hollywood veteran Jerry Bruckheimer. The production team has made a strong commitment to accuracy and believability, as Wolff emphasized.
“We tried to be helpful with the narrative,” Wolff explained. “Lewis is a producer and he wanted to make sure that when the movie comes out it is as realistic as possible. It’s a very, very good narrative, and then there is the effort they put in.”
The film has received full support from Formula One, as it aims to engage and captivate a new audience, especially those who have discovered the sport through the popular “Drive To Survive” series.
Pitt, under the guidance of Hamilton, will portray a seasoned driver returning to Formula One after a hiatus. He took the wheel during the Grand Prix, while the film crew captured the race using 20 cameras. The footage from the race and the movie set will be merged, placing Pitt and his fictional team in the heart of the on-track action.
In actual Formula One practice sessions, Max Verstappen once again showcased his prowess, leading the first practice for Red Bull, with teammate Sergio Pérez trailing by nearly half a second.
Verstappen maintained his dominance in the afternoon session, although he faced a strong challenge from last year’s winner, Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, who finished just two-hundredths of a second behind.
Alex Albon of Williams had an impressive day, securing third place in both practice sessions. However, Mercedes encountered difficulties, with George Russell in 12th place and Lewis Hamilton in 15th during the second free practice session.
Verstappen heads into the tenth round of the season with a substantial lead in the world championship, holding an 81-point advantage over Pérez. He aims to secure his sixth consecutive victory in his 150th start for Red Bull, as the team remains undefeated in all nine races so far this season.