F1 (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – Follows a Formula One driver who comes out of retirement to mentor and team with a younger driver.

My Take – Though still not as internationally beloved as other sports, yet undeniably, over the past decades, Formula One racing has grown to become one of the most elite forms of motorsports in the entire world.

Particularly with the focus being on the uniquely aerodynamic designed cars that allows the drivers to reach phenomenal speeds like 375 km/h. Making the professional driving part something that necessitates both mental and physical stability, along with the enormous amount of pressure of winning the race for your team.

An important element which, along with the thunderous roar of the engines, this latest Apple production wants us to feel and experience. Still fresh off the success of Top Gun: Maverick (2023), director Joseph Kosinski‘s newest effort sees him swap skies for pits and deliver yet another bona fide visually breathtaking blockbuster.

From its the immaculate sound design to the top-tier cinematography and flawless direction, once again everything is crisp and powerful. Every frame had purpose, and the immersive camera work places us right on the track, in the driver’s seat.

Even as the plot treads well-worn paths like pairing of a has-been sporting figure with a new-blood rebel, the vivid details, the compelling underdog spirit of the narrative, and the carefully choreographed racing sequences will leave us wonder why real Formula One races aren’t regularly shown in cinemas.

Yes, it may not convert regular audience into lifelong fans, but it will undoubtedly spark some curiosity. And please, if you have the chance to see it on an IMAX screen, just take it. As the larger the format, the more incredibly electrifying the experience will be.

The story follows Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), an aging American racing driver, and former Formula One (F1) prodigy who career ended after sustaining severe injuries from a crash at the Spanish Grand Prix in 1993. But even after subsequently becoming a gambling addict and three failed marriages, Sonny refuses to retire and lives nomadically as a racer-for-hire, bouncing from competition to competition.

His latest shot at redemption arrives right after he wins the GTD class of the 24 Hours of Daytona, in the form of his former Lotus teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), who now owns the Apex Grand Prix team (APXGP), and wants him to mentor and drive alongside hotshot rookie Joshua “Noah” Pearce (Damson Idris) in Formula One’s World Constructors’ Championship.

Revealing that his board is planning to sell the team unless APXGP, a team which has repeatedly failed to even crack the top ten in terms of rank, wins one of the nine remaining Grands Prix that year. Though Sonny is reluctant at first, but Rubin convinces to take up the opportunity as it would probably be his last chance to become “the best in the world”.

Indeed, director Kosinski and co-writer Ehren Kruger are not breaking any new ground with a narrative that is defined by the generational gap between two rival drivers and how ultimately they put aside their differences if the team is going to thrive at all during the season. There are also similar plot mechanics from Top Gun: Maverick (2023) creeping in, most notably the rebellious nature of its central protagonist that has an effect around those, for better or worse.

But director Kosinski strikes a fine balance between acknowledging the emotional aspects of driving an F1 car while at the same time enjoying the exhilarating races taking place. The emotional highs and lows of competition are simple palpable. At its core, this film is actually a classic underdog story. The way it pulls this off is by having the APXGP team shown at the very bottom of the rankings, having never reached a significantly high position on the scales.

With the stakes greatly against them, both Sonny and Noah must work extra hard to achieve their goals of bringing this team out of the depths and into significance not only for themselves, but for all of the workers making everything happen for them behind the scenes. This includes the pit stop workers, the engineers, the mechanics, and the company directors who are gambling their entire futures on Sonny and Noah’s success.

What makes this film particularly compelling is its immersive execution. Filmed on actual F1 circuits during race weekends, the film throws viewers straight into the cockpit and the stands with adrenaline-filled sequences that will leave you gasping. Given the complicated camera work that applied to the jet spectacle, director Kosinski and cinematographer Claudio Miranda get up-close with the high-speed racing, stunning shot on IMAX cameras.

The cinematography is outstanding, masterfully shifting between cockpit views and dynamic race footage to create a strikingly authentic atmosphere, with the sound design further enhancing the experience. Hans Zimmer’s music ensures the thrill crescendos in every scene.

However, most important of all, these sequences work primarily due to the fact that we actually care about the drivers carrying out these death-defying man oeuvres, something that is usually overlooked in lesser car racing films. The behind-the-scenes chaos like the media circus, forced camaraderie with rival racers, and the corporate politics, also adds a compelling layer that many of us may not be familiar with.

Performance wise, Brad Pitt, as one of the planet’s last movie stars, continues to be immensely watchable on screen. His charm, selfless demeanor, silent sacrifices, and nuanced expressions make Sonny a memorable character. Further proven by the fact that Pitt is a racing enthusiast in real life. Damson Idris also delivers a commendable performance opposite Pitt, and is appropriately cocky as the new-age driver.

Javier Bardem is as always reliable and likable, and his friendship with Pitt feel really genuine. However it is Kerry Condon, who plays Kate McKenna and is hailed as F1’s first female technical director, steals every scene she’s in. In supporting roles, Sarah Niles, Kim Bodnia, Tobias Menzies, Shea Whigham, Joseph Balderrama, Callie Cooke, Abdul Salice, and Samson Kayo are excellent. On the whole, ‘F1‘ is a visceral, pulpy old-school blockbuster that delivers rousing entertainment with its thrilling racing sequences.