F1: The Movie (2025) | Film Review

Directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski, F1: The Movie follows Sonny Hayes, a nomad racer recruited by his best friend, Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), to join his Formula 1 team and save them from being sold due to another terrible season. Of course, there’s a young hotshot in the charismatic Damson Idris’ Joshua Pearce, who is more focused on Instagram followers and celebrity than patience on the track, and a technical director/ love interest in the always welcome Kerry Condon as Kate McKenna.

You’ve seen the story before, no doubt. A grizzled veteran, initially reluctant to get back into the sport he left 30 years ago. A talented love interest that shows him the errors of his ways. The young, cocky, up-and-comer who just needs a bit of tutelage to finally fire on all cylinders. Of course you’ve seen it. It’s literally the plot of Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick. Only this time, the racing is on the ground instead of in the air.

What you haven’t seen before, is how immersive and tense Kosinski has shot the racing scenes in the film. I’m putting my stamp that these are hands down the best racing scenes ever put to film. The intensity, the precision, the visceral energy. You feel as though you are in that driver’s seat, with both hands on the wheel, experiencing every turn, twist, and crash. In particular, one moment near the end is the greatest example I’ve seen yet of how thrilling it must be to actually be in the driver’s seat. Just a masterfully shot film overall.

For such a long movie (2 hours and 35 minutes) and despite the predictable nature of the script, the pacing is excellent. I was never bored, not once. Instead, the film is captivating even when away from the track. A major reason for that is the sheer, glorious talent Brad Pitt has of being absolutely impossible to take your eyes off of. Even when he’s doing nothing, he’s still the coolest guy in the room. If Cliff Booth turned to racing, this would be his story. Also, Sonny Hayes is simply an enigmatic, mysterious character that is fascinating to watch.

As someone who simply does not like racing, this is the film to demonstrate what I’ve been missing. F1: THE MOVIE is not only fantastic and the best film revolving around racing to be made yet, but also one of the most intense films of the summer that demands to be seen in IMAX or the largest movie screen you can find. I simply cannot wait to see it in a theater again for one more lap around the track.