F1 (2025)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
An aging Formula One prodigy returns after a three-decade hiatus to help save his former teammate's struggling racing team.
The story
Aging former Formula One (F1) prodigy Sonny Hayes has spent the last 30 years living as a racer-for-hire, following a career-ending crash at the 1993 Spanish Grand Prix that has left him burdened by the failure to live up to his potential. After winning the 24 Hours of Daytona, he is approached by his former teammate Rubén Cervantes, owner of the struggling APXGP F1 team, who asks him to be their second driver. Rubén explains that unless APXGP wins one of the nine remaining Grands Prix of the season, his investors will sell the team. Sonny reluctantly agrees after Rubén insists that victory will prove he is the "best in the world".
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Sonny Hayes, a former F1 prodigy, joins the struggling APXGP team as a second driver alongside ambitious rookie Joshua Pearce. While Sonny struggles with modern machinery, he identifies technical flaws and proposes aerodynamic upgrades. During the season, the pair faces internal friction and external pressures. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Sonny uses strategic tactics to secure a top-ten finish, while at the Italian Grand Prix, a high-speed maneuver leads to a crash that injures Joshua. Tensions peak when a conspiracy by board member Peter Banning threatens the team's existence. After a series of setbacks, including a forced removal of upgrades and a medical scare regarding Sonny's past injuries, the team faces a final showdown at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In a final sprint, Sonny sacrifices his own chance of victory to ensure Joshua takes the lead. Ultimately, Sonny secures his first F1 win and secures the team's future, while Joshua is offered a seat with Mercedes but declines. The film ends with Sonny preparing for the Baja 1000.
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 155
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Joseph Kosinski
- Writers
- Ehren Kruger · screenplay; Joseph Kosinski · story; Ehren Kruger · story
- Cast and characters
- Brad Pitt · Sonny Hayes; Damson Idris · Joshua Pearce; Kerry Condon · Kate McKenna; Tobias Menzies · Peter Banning; Javier Bardem · Rubén Cervantes
- Genres
- sports drama
- Themes
- redemption; legacy; competition
- Tone and mood
- intense; cinematic
- Premise and plot tags
- sports; racing; underdog story
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews from critics and positive scores from audiences, though its reception within the specific motorsport community was mixed.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 82% · scale: percentage · review count: 368; Metacritic · score: 68 · scale: 100 · review count: 57; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 92% · scale: percentage
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Sound · win
- Production trivia
- The film's budget was reported between $200 million and $300 million.; The film was the highest-grossing auto racing film of all time.; The film was the highest-grossing film of Brad Pitt's career.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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