SEVEN-TIME time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton praised American actor Brad Pitt for his edgy driving abilities at 61-years-old.
Hamilton was speaking about Pitt’s new F1 movie, which is said to be one of the best Formula 1 theatrical experiences to date, with on board footage from actual races.
Hamilton also received a co-producer credit for his part in putting the Apple Original movie together. Hamilton played a role in shaping the narrative of the movie but also wanted someone to actually drive the car so the effects and reactions are realistic.
Formula 1 drivers are known to have cat-like reflexes, mainly because they have to handle a car at incredibly high speeds around corners and tight spaces.
Hamilton says: “Pitt handled it like a professional.
“Watching Brad drive around at speeds over 180 miles an hour was really impressive to see because it’s not something you can just learn overnight.
“The dedication and the focus that Brad put into this process has been amazing to witness.”
The movie sees Pitt take the lead role as a seasoned driver out for redemption on the APXGP race team, owned by Javier Bardem. Pitt’s teammate in the movie is British actor Damson Idris.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), the film covers the highs and lows of F1 racing both on and off the track.
What gives the movie its edge, arguably, is the fact that it was shot during race weekends, with Pitt and Idris driving around the track in adapted Formula 2 cars. The APGP team even had a garage in the paddock!
Konsinki’s team had an almost impossible task of filming during short break periods, which was mainly between practice and qualifying sessions. Filming Hollywood level movies takes a lot of time to set-up and execute, but Director of Photography Claudio Miranda worked his magic once again.
Miranda’s most notable cinematic marvel’s include The Life of Pi and Top Gun: Maverick.
The team opted for remotely controlled cameras that were mounted on the cars while Pitt and Idris drove around. F1 fans did not know that the two were acting out a movie in real time while the Grand Prix weekend was on.
Konsinki said Pitt’s natural ability behind the wheel is what really helped pull the movie off, adding: “If Brad can’t drive, this whole film wasn’t going to work, and what Lewis was very happy to discover was that, you know, Brad had a lot of just natural ability right from the start
“I don’t know where he got that. He rides motorcycles, which I think has something to do with it, but he's just a very talented, naturally gifted driver, which gave Lewis a lot of confidence that we might have a shot at pulling this off.”
