Lewis Hamilton’s Key Role in Upcoming F1 Film Revealed by Director

LOS ANGELES, USA — Lewis Hamilton‘s contributions to the upcoming Formula 1 film, produced by Apple Original Films, have been recognized as pivotal by the film’s director, Joseph Kosinski. The movie, set for release in June 2025, tells the story of fictional driver Sonny Hayes, portrayed by Brad Pitt, as he navigates a comeback at the fictional APXGP team alongside rookie Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris.

Hamilton, who also acts as a producer, was involved from the inception of the project. “Lewis was instrumental in not only the technical aspects, but in the real kind of formative stage of the movie,” Kosinski explained. “His perspective on shaping the narrative of these two characters… was really, really helpful.”

During filming, Hamilton played a crucial role in training Pitt and Idris for their driving scenes. “In order to get them into these race cars, it required months, literally months of training,” Kosinski said. The early sessions included Hamilton coaching Pitt, marking a unique collaboration between the world champion and Hollywood star. “It was me, Brad and Lewis Hamilton at the track together… I’ll never forget having Lewis Hamilton as your driving instructor,” he added.

Director Kosinski noted that Hamilton’s initial assessment of Pitt’s driving skills significantly influenced the film’s direction. He remarked that discovering Pitt’s natural driving ability gave both him and Hamilton confidence in the project. “Lewis was very happy to discover that Brad had a lot of just natural ability right from the start,” Kosinski stated. “He’s just a very talented, naturally gifted driver.”

As filming progressed during actual Grand Prix weekends, Kosinski emphasized the importance of cooperation from other F1 drivers. “We were determined to make it authentic and represent their sport in the absolute best way possible,” he said. “To have them embrace us… showed a level of trust that was remarkable.”

Team principals from various F1 racing teams expressed optimism about the film’s potential to attract new audiences, drawing parallels with Netflix‘s transformative “Drive to Survive” series. “I’m already convinced Netflix helped a lot over the last years,” said Ferrari’s Fred Vasseur. “If you go back to 2018 or 2019, F1 was absolutely not in the same shape.”

Meanwhile, Hamilton’s recent transition to Ferrari has also garnered attention. After a challenging debut qualifying session in Melbourne, he expressed a sense of optimism, stating, “I’m still learning this car… I definitely didn’t expect us to be as far off as we were.” Despite a Q2 spin, Hamilton remains focused on improving his performance as he adjusts to his new team.

As fans eagerly anticipate the film’s release, the collaboration between F1 icons and Hollywood talent illustrates the merging of motorsport and film, potentially reaching wider audiences than ever before.