The highly anticipated racing film "F1 The Movie" officially opens across Chinese theaters today, promising to appeal to both die-hard Formula One fans and newcomers to the sport.

A poster for "F1 The Movie." [Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]

Produced by Apple Original Films and the team behind 2022's hit "Top Gun: Maverick," the high-octane action movie stars Brad Pitt and is directed by Joseph Kosinski. The film is produced by Kosinski, Pitt, veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a 1990s racing phenom dubbed "the greatest that never was," whose promising career was derailed by a horrific crash. Thirty years later, Hayes returns to the circuit as a washed-up drifter, lured back by former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) to help rescue a struggling team. Paired with rising star Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), Hayes must confront his past and learn that in Formula One, a driver's fiercest competitor may be their own teammate — and that redemption is never a solo journey.

Pitt has described "F1" as "the most visceral driving experience ever captured on film," noting that both he and Idris performed in actual race cars at competitive speeds.

Long before Pitt and Idris were driving at 200 miles per hour and before the film production embedded itself in multiple global races on the Formula One circuit, "F1" began with a pitch from director Kosinski to Bruckheimer.

"What Joe wanted was authenticity," Bruckheimer recalled. "He wanted to make the best racing movie ever made. In order to do that, you have to put your actors into the cars. It's exciting, and it's dangerous, but it's the only way to make the movie. And he achieved that — when you see the ?lm, you'll see the explosiveness of their driving."

Kosinski said the idea for the film drew on two main inspirations: the hit F1 docuseries "Drive to Survive," which spotlighted the sport's underdogs, and his own connection with Lewis Hamilton. "I sent an email to Lewis just saying, 'I want to make a film in this world. I want it to be the most authentic racing film ever. Would you be interested in helping me to do that?' And he said yes," Kosinski said.

"Telling the story of Formula 1 is never easy. It takes vision, meticulous care, passion and excitement," said Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula One. "From the first moment we started talking about a film on F1, I felt that something special was going to be created. The script and concept they presented to me represented an authentic, intense idea, capable of capturing the deep soul of our sport."

The film features appearances by top drivers including Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, as well as key figures such as Domenicali, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and Mercedes' Toto Wolff. Far from simple fan service, these cameos contribute to the film's effort to portray Formula One with greater realism.

Pitt, who has always been passionately devoted to racing, noted that the magic of the movie is the way it will appeal equally to longtime fans of the sport and viewers who have never heard of Formula One.

A fan photographs a souvenir ticket and poster at a Beijing cinema hosting the "F1 The Movie" China premiere on June 20, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]

"Threading that needle was the biggest challenge, but I think we've done that — made it enlightening enough and understandable for newcomers without dumbing it down for ultra fans. It's funny, it's aggressive, it's driving, and it's surprisingly heartwarming. I love all these characters. I think this film is so damn entertaining on so many levels," Pitt said.