F1 drivers gather in Monaco for the film “F1”, Verstappen absent live on iRacing
Formula 1 drivers and executives attended a private screening of the film F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Lewis Hamilton among others. The event, held in Monaco, was attended by most of the drivers on the current grid, with the notable exceptions of Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll.
On the sidelines of the Monaco Grand Prix, most of the Formula 1 drivers attended a private screening of the film « F1 » in the Principality on Wednesday evening. Eighteen out of the current twenty drivers were present to discover this Hollywood production. Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll were the two notable absentees from this premiere organized for the paddock.
Lights. Camera. Action! 🎬 #F1TheMovie
Our drivers got to enjoy a private screening of @F1Movie in Monaco! 🍿#F1 pic.twitter.com/ffFaoTPnX4
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 21, 2025
The film, directed by Joseph Kosinski — known for Top Gun: Maverick with Tom Cruise — and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Brad Pitt, and Lewis Hamilton, tells the story of Sonny Hayes, a former driver from the 1990s who comes out of retirement to mentor a young rookie in the fictional APXGP team. English actor Damson Idris plays this rookie, Joshua Pearce, alongside Brad Pitt.
Hamilton played a central role in the design of the project through his company, Dawn Apollo Films. Indeed, the Ferrari driver worked closely with Kosinski to ensure an authentic representation of the sport, driving techniques, and team dynamics, in order to accurately portray the world of F1 on the big screen.
A filming at the heart of F1
The uniqueness of the film « F1 » lies in its documentary approach to the sport. The film crew enjoyed exceptional access to the Grand Prix of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, even setting up a functional garage for the fictional cars in the official paddock.
Speaking about the project during a virtual press conference with the media last March, Kosinski explained how he went about it: « The first thing I did was contact Lewis Hamilton. He lives this sport every day and he’s one of the greatest of all time. » The British driver then introduced the director to Toto Wolff, Mercedes director, who suggested using real racing cars for the filming.
Indeed, Mercedes provided six specially modified Formula 2 cars for the needs of the film. This close collaboration between Hollywood and F1 allows the film to feature authentic sequences, with Pitt and Idris actually driving on F1 circuits, a first for a fiction centered on the discipline.
Verstappen absent, true to his reluctance
Max Verstappen chose not to participate in the event. Indeed, the Dutch world champion, known for his lack of enthusiasm towards the film, preferred to focus on a sim racing session with Team Redline (eSports team) on Twitch, streaming live under the pseudonym @FranzHermann69 with his famous pink steering wheel, while his colleagues were discovering the film. Lance Stroll is the other driver who did not attend either. The reasons for his absence were not specified.
👋
📺 https://t.co/oubEhYhVGX pic.twitter.com/JDRYRDhIjA
— Team Redline (@TeamRedlineSim) May 21, 2025
The CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali, as well as some team principals, including Toto and Susie Wolff, also attended the screening and had the opportunity to watch this 153-minute work exclusively.
The film « F1 » is the first fiction of this magnitude dedicated to Formula 1, a challenge met thanks to the privileged partnership between the world of cinema and the paddock. It will be released in European theaters and other territories on June 25, followed by North America on June 27.
