“A tremendous expertise, I can’t wait for everybody to see it!”

With the discharge of “F1 the Film” approaching on June 25, Lewis Hamilton mentioned he can’t wait for everybody to see it. The seven-time world champion is producing the movie alongside Brad Pitt and Jerry Bruckheimer.

Final night time, the movie premiered in New York, with all of the grid’s drivers, crew principals, and the actors concerned within the mission strolling the purple carpet.

Throughout an interview, Hamilton spoke about his working relationship with Brad Pitt, the training journey, and why he believes this would be the “most genuine racing movie ever made.”

Lewis Hamilton’s phrases
He first spoke about how he took on the function of producer in “F1 the Film” and what it means to him to convey F1 to the large display screen like by no means earlier than.

Lewis Hamilton mentioned: “Being concerned on this mission as a producer has been an unimaginable studying expertise for me. I obtained to see what it takes to make a characteristic movie, and the others additionally discovered so much, as everyone seems to be now extra acquainted with System 1.”

“I’ve at all times liked cinema and storytelling, and I’ve liked this sport since I used to be 5. So after I had the possibility to talk with Joe Kosinski and Jerry Bruckheimer in regards to the mission, I felt like the 2 worlds I’m keen about have been coming collectively,” added the Brit. “I do not forget that firstly of the mission I met Brad [Pitt] and reviewed the script, took half in conferences with the Apple and System 1 groups, and was concerned in a number of the early casting. From these first conversations to seeing all of it take form, it’s been a improbable expertise, and I can’t wait for everybody to see it.”

Probably the most genuine racing movie
He then defined why this would be the most genuine racing movie ever made.

“The entry we needed to System 1 was fully unprecedented. We even filmed throughout race weekends with the movie’s eleventh crew, APXGP, and also you’ll positively see that authenticity come by means of within the film,” the seven-time world champion identified.

“The footage we shot throughout actual races shall be built-in into the movie and enhanced with digital methods to put the fictional groups’ automobiles into precise Grand Prix footage, making it really feel actually lifelike for followers of the game.”

“They actually appreciated my insights, even on the smallest particulars—just like the sounds a automobile makes in sure elements of the observe, or how a crash may occur. That’s precisely what Joe [Kosinski] and Jerry [Bruckheimer] wished from the beginning: to create probably the most genuine racing movie ever made,” Lewis Hamilton concluded.

Working with administrators and producers
Director Joe Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer reached new cinematic heights with High Gun: Maverick. For Lewis Hamilton, it was inspiring to work with them and see them convey all their experience to this movie.

“I grew up seeing Jerry’s title on film screens—he’s a real legend—so lastly being in the identical room and dealing with him was an enormous honor,” he mentioned. “He’s nonetheless so enthusiastic, even in spite of everything his accolades and success. He’s so keen about what he does, and it was actually inspiring to observe. I used to be additionally actually impressed by Joe—his focus, his concepts, his eye for capturing issues.”

He was then requested what improvements he witnessed that made this movie completely different from another racing film in historical past.

The Brit mentioned: “Expertise improvement. Digital camera placement. A few of what they utilized in High Gun: Maverick with the fighter jets—Joe introduced a few of that tech into this movie. His crew and our director of pictures, Claudio Miranda, along with Apple, took it to a different stage.”

“They developed a digicam system that’s actually completely different—rather more superior than what you see throughout a race weekend broadcast,” he added. “The footage is way rawer, so once you watch it, you actually really feel such as you’re within the automobile, going at unimaginable speeds.”

Brad Pitt and Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton additionally shared what it was like working with Brad Pitt on “F1 the Film.”

“I by no means imagined I’d work with Brad Pitt. I’m an enormous fan of his movies, and I believe the primary time I met him was in Jerry’s workplace on Zoom, which was fairly loopy. However then we have been on observe collectively, and I found how passionate he’s about motorsports—particularly bikes—and I noticed the pure expertise he had behind the wheel. It was actually wonderful,” defined the seven-time world champion.

“I keep in mind we have been each at Silverstone, at Copse, and I used to be exhibiting him the issues I take a look at when getting into a nook, and we have been speaking about how drivers are elite athletes, and the way there’s a lot occurring in racing that individuals don’t see. The G-forces and the whole lot our our bodies undergo, the rigorous coaching we just do to compete,” the Ferrari driver continued. “He was actually curious about that stage of perception, so he may convey most authenticity to his function.”

The function of Sonny Hayes
In keeping with the Ferrari driver, Brad Pitt completely embodies the function of Sonny Hayes. He commented: “I believe he did a rare job. He introduced so much to Sonny’s character—not simply as a driver, but additionally in how he helps an rising, underdog rival.”

“For drivers, teamwork is vital, however in the end each different driver on observe is a rival—even your teammate. So there’s a high quality line, and I believe you’ll be able to actually see how that dynamic unfolds between the characters performed by Brad and Damson [Idris].”

The authenticity of the movie
A part of the movie’s authenticity lies in the truth that Brad Pitt and Damson Idris really drove the automobiles in actual races. This was key to creating the film.

Lewis Hamilton mentioned: “I believe having Brad and Damson really drive was essential to the story’s authenticity as a result of, all through my profession, I’ve advised individuals how arduous racing is—they usually’d ask me issues like, ‘How a lot weight do you lose?’ ‘What sort of bruises do you get after a race?’ or ‘Wait, there’s no air con within the automobile?’”

“It’s tremendous demanding. And sure, we will lose as much as 4.5 kilos throughout a race. So I believe it was vital for these two actors to face the psychological challenges that we drivers undergo—the pace at which we course of data, the bodily impression, the brake energy, the G-forces…”

“I believe it was actually vital for them, as a result of you’ll be able to’t faux that. Should you haven’t skilled it, you’ll be able to’t think about it. By driving these automobiles—they usually each did a superb job—I imagine they honestly understood what it means to be a driver, and that’s what comes throughout within the movie,” he concluded.

What it means to Lewis Hamilton
Lastly, he was requested what it means to him to know that audiences will lastly see the movie he produced on the large display screen.

The seven-time System 1 world champion mentioned: “Going from a remedy to a full script, engaged on it, then transferring on to digicam improvement, going by means of the entire course of and now seeing it on the large display screen… it’s unimaginable. I can’t wait to see the viewers’s reactions and listen to the way it made them really feel.”

“There’s a lot authenticity, and you actually really feel the pace and the competitors between the drivers—their starvation to win. It looks like the whole lot is at stake. There are solely 20 of us on the planet who race in System 1, and this can permit everybody to expertise that and really feel the fun of being behind the wheel of considered one of our automobiles. I actually can’t wait,” the Brit concluded.

Jun 17, 2025Elena Rossi

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