• Director: Joseph Kosinski
• Screenplay: Ehren Kruger
• Cast: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
• Cinematography: Claudio Miranda
• Score: Hans Zimmer
• Genre: Sports drama
• Runtime: 156 minutes

On your marks. Get set. Go!

From the same director behind ‘Top Gun: Maverick‘, Joseph Kosinski, comes ‘F1‘, whizzing past you on your left. It’s most definitely a film for petrolheads, I must admit it’s not my cup of tea. It’s not one continuous circuit for 2.5 hours; there’s a plot too which gives you something to focus on if fast cars aren’t your thing.

Racing team owner Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), millions of dollars in debt, approaches his old teammate Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) with a proposal: join his team and win at least one of nine Grands Prix in the World Championship and bask in your former glory. It beats Hayes’ current existence; travelling around in a van like a bum.

Okay, so you’re Brad Pitt. That don’t impress me much.

With Sonny Hayes back in the driver’s seat again after a life-altering injury derailed his famous career 30 years ago, tensions mount between Hayes and hotshot rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris). They’re both alpha males, making the job of uniting as a crew tricky.

Okay, so you’ve got a car. That don’t impress me much.

The commercialism is a tad off-putting; their racing suits adorned with various brand logos and the cars slapped with adverts. It’s a billboard in cinematic form. I understand though, these companies have to make money somehow and the producers of the movie itself needed the sponsorship deals to lower the staggering cost. When you’ve blown the budget getting Brad Pitt involved, it makes sense.

The cast all pull their weight; Idris is a star on the rise. Yet the disconnect I felt from the subject matter hampered my engagement. No victory lap required.

My rating: 5 / 10