Category: Racing Movies

A few days ago, the highly anticipated F1: The Movie premiered — a film that set out to fill theaters, not disappoint fans of the sport, and at the same time convert newcomers into followers. And I must say, it achieved its goals.

As for the plot (as spoiler-free as possible), the main character is Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a highly promising F1 driver in the 1990s whose career was cut short by a serious crash at the Spanish Grand Prix in 1993. Since then, he has lived a nomadic life, gambling and racing in various lower-tier series — until a chance reunion with his old friend and former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) presents him with the opportunity to return to the pinnacle of motorsport, 30 years later.

On the racing side, the shots and scenes are impressively realistic, thanks in part to the fact that filming took place on actual circuits using real cars and professional drivers. As a result, the film manages to evoke a wide range of emotions — the kind you’d feel while watching a real F1 race: tension, excitement, admiration, heartbreak, and shock, often switching between them in an instant. There’s plenty of action, and the effects are phenomenal — especially in IMAX, where they truly shine.

As for the screenplay, while it might not be the most original, it’s certainly engaging. After all, there haven’t been many films that delve into what F1 is really about — a sport full of joy, sorrow, drama, tension, and quite often, intrigue. And with the lead actors delivering performances worthy of their reputations, F1: The Movie doesn’t leave any of that out.

In conclusion, I truly believe that the 150 minutes a viewer spends watching F1: The Movie will be rewarding — whether they have no idea who Schumacher, Hamilton, Senna, or Verstappen are, or whether they’re like me and will catch even the tiniest of details, feeling the urge every 2–3 minutes to point at the screen like Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.