Brad Pitt Will Drive An Actual Racecar For The Formula One Movie

There have been some phenomenal racing movies in Hollywood history that have tried to recreate what it feels like inside an actual racecar. Steve McQueen famously drove in the 12-hour Sebring race with a broken foot from a motorcycle accident in preparation for his 1971 film "Le Mans." Incredibly, McQueen nearly won the race, as told in the fascinating documentary "Steve McQueen: The Man and Le Mans." The late Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna was also featured in the tragic documentary "Senna" which featured some of the most exhilarating racing footage ever committed to celluloid. Sylvester Stallone's "Driven," Ron Howard's "Rush," and James Mangold's "Ford v Ferrari" have all been valiant attempts to bring audiences into the driver's seat. 

Next up, Brad Pitt is set to star in a new Formula One movie directed by Joseph Kosinski who is just coming off the monumentally successful "Top Gun: Maverick." During a panel that was part of the 2023 F1 Accelerate Summit in Miami, Kosinski, along with "Days of Thunder" producer Jerry Bruckheimer, announced that they will create an 11th team where Pitt will drive alongside real drivers during actual F1 races. Moderator Will Buxton, who is also featured in the Netflix series "Formula 1: Drive to Survive," gave some more exciting details of the panel on Twitter. "The car has been designed by Mercedes and is already testing," and Buxton added that British racecar driver Lewis Hamilton is involved with the "storyline and script to ensure it's the most accurate racing film ever made."

I Feel The Need, The Need For Speed

Realistically, the insurance involved to ensure that Pitt is safe would be astronomical, and Polygon has reported that Pitt will actually be driving a slower mock-up of an F1 car in the new film. Pitt supposedly won't be competing directly with other drivers on the track, but the production details are still in early stages at this point. For now, Pitt's chance to be as cool as Steve McQueen will have to wait. 

One of the most exciting aspects of Kosinski's F1 movie is the new camera technology that will be implemented to allow audiences to see exactly what Pitt and the other stars are seeing. Buxton reiterated a few more details about the new rig via Twitter. "They've spent 18 months taking what they [learned] on 'Top Gun: Maverick' to develop the smallest moveable 6k camera ever designed to take the viewer into the cockpit," he explained. "A cockpit in which their stars will actually drive."

If the incredible aerial shots in "Top Gun: Maverick" are any indication, audiences should be in store for some truly exhilarating action. Buxton also mentioned that Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell may even join in on the fun. "Oh. And Tom Cruise has already offered to do some extra driving if they need him," he added to get the rumor mill going. In addition to all the other race films of the past, Kosinski mentioned that he's using John Frankenheimer's 1966 film "Grand Prix" starring James Garner as "his biggest touchstone." 

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Plan B Entertainment and Apple Original Films, the new film will focus on Pitt returning to the sport after retiring. "Snowfall: star Damson Idris is also set to star. The action blockbuster will eventually wind up on Apple TV+ after a theatrical release, and I for one cannot wait. 

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