From left: Brad Pitt, director Joseph Kosinski, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Damson Idris at a Formula 1 circuit. F1: The Movie was filmed at the actual tracks during Grand Prix weekends to use the built-in atmosphere of real races. Scott Garfield/Apple Studios The roaring crowds, the howling of the F1 engines and some of the most famous race car drivers in the world. It seemed like a normal practice round of the Grand Prix race at England's Silverstone Circuit in July 2023, except for one thing: One of the world's biggest movie stars was sitting in a car at the back of the formation line. Brad Pitt, who plays Sonny Hayes in F1: The Movie, had insisted on doing as much of the actual driving himself - as much as insurers would allow, that is - in hopes it would bring added authenticity to the screen. It was a goal shared by the entire crew, led by director Joseph Kosinski: to make F1 the most accurate portrayal of the sport in Hollywood history. Related Stories Movies Spike Lee Praises Ryan Coogler, Delroy Lindo as He Receives Career Achievement Award at Critics Choice Celebration of Black Cinema and Television Movies 2026 PGA Documentary Award Nominees Include 'The Alabama Solution,' 'The Perfect Neighbor' It all started with getting the Formula 1 organization involved. The key proved to be seven-time Formula 1 World Drivers' Champion Lewis Hamilton. Kosinski and Hamilton already had a relationship: Hamilton had wanted to star in the director's previous movie, Top Gun: Maverick - mutual friend Tom Cruise had made the introduction - but his racing schedule got in the way. Once Hamilton was on board, Kosinski knew he needed iconic producer Jerry Bruckheimer, with whom he'd worked on Maverick, on the project. Then came Pitt, who would star in the lead but also serve as producer. Pitt had no hesitation: "This would be the first movie to actually put actors in the cars to go up against real drivers - something never seen before onscreen," Pitt tells THR. In February 2022, with his lead producers and star in place, Kosinski flew to London to convince Formula 1 officials to give him unprecedented access. It was a bold request: Racing is a sport that relies on secrecy, and teams are fiercely protective of their technological innovations and strategies. "I pitched the philosophy of the film and how I wanted to make it in the most authentic way possible, and that required their participation," says Kosinski. "After the meeting, we showed CEO of Formula 1 Stefano Domenicali Top Gun: Maverick three months early, and he saw how I was going to take a lot of the same concepts and apply that to Formula 1. I think he realized that it could be a great thing for his sport as well." There followed a frenzied bidding war among nine studios, with Apple winning the film. "They stood out in both their enthusiasm for it and their willingness to take a bet on an original story," says Kosinski. Flash forward to today: F1 is Apple Studios' first box office hit and the highest-grossing film of Pitt's career, earning more than $600 million worldwide off a budget reported to be around $200 million. (Since the film's successful release, Apple has secured the exclusive U.S. broadcast rights for all Formula 1 races for five years.) Pitt (left) and Kosinski (far right) talking to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (second from right), who served as a producer on the film. Hamilton was instrumental in giving the filmmaking team access and insight into the sport, and assisted in departments from script to sound. Kosinski and Hamilton had met when Tom Cruise introduced them during Top Gun: Maverick, when Hamilton wanted to star in the film. He eventually passed on that opportunity because of his racing schedule. Scott Garfield/Apple Studios With Formula 1 signed on, Ehren Kruger, who had worked with Kosinski on Maverick, started writing the script. He embedded himself with the Mercedes F1 team for a race weekend and spent time at the factory talking to engineers, mechanics and strategists. "By the end of the first month of research, I felt I was writing a story that was as much about NASA engineering as it was about two drivers competing on the track," Kruger says. "Hamilton was a critical part of the screenplay, adding a sense of realism to the story and screenplay by giving notes and adding his level of expertise of the sport." The champion driver worked overtime for his producer credit, going through the script beat by beat, advising on proper terminology. "I was selecting all the bits of sounds you get from different races on different parts of the track," says Hamilton. "I was very meticulous about getting it right. What may seem like small details are actually a big component to the authenticity of the film and maintaining the integrity of the sport throughout." On a macro level, the script didn't evolve much: It was always about two drivers on a last-place team. "It was a story about second chances," producer Jeremy Kleiner says.