At the British Grand Prix, Brad Pitt was spotted wearing racing gear to film some of the action for his upcoming Formula 1 movie.
Brad Pitt, an iconic Hollywood actor who will be starring as an F1 driver in an upcoming movie, was spotted at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix weekend fully suited up as a Formula 1 driver.
On the starting grid of the British Grand Prix at the Northamptonshire circuit on Sunday, the famous actor and co-star Damson Idris were both sporting white and black racing suits. The currently untitled Apple movie is being co-produced by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Pitt and co-star Damson Idris joined in the fun on Sunday at Silverstone race circuit while wearing white racing outfits bearing the APXGP fictitious racing team’s logos. Pictures from Formula 1’s social media pages showed Pitt and Idris posing with racer Carlos Sainz and reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen.
After his time on the track, Pitt spoke to Sky News and said the feeling was “giddy.” He also revealed a few details about the untitled Apple Studios movie, in which he portrays a racer who competed in the ’90s but had a terrible crash, crapped out, and vanished before later competing in other racing series.
“It’s great to be here,” Pitt said. “We’re just having such a laugh, [the] time of my life.”
The film project has exceptional access to racetracks and drivers thanks to the relationship with F1. Pitt was spotted mingling with the spectators on Thursday as well as the film crew being present on Sunday, while there was also trackside filming done during breaks in the actual racing.
The APXGP team was having its own garage on the pit wall, between Mercedes and Ferrari, and the drivers were in Mercedes-modified Formula 2 cars.
Given that they hired F1 professionals to “operate the show like the real thing,” Pitt maintained, the movie “should be as authentic as we can get it.”
“Lewis, who’s also our producer, is really intent that we respect the sport, that we really show it for what it is,” he said. “And I’ve got to tell you, as a civilian, I had no idea what it takes to be a driver and the aggression and the dexterity.”
“They’re amazing athletes who I’ve so much respect for, everyone out there in all classes.”
Pitt’s character has a friend who is a team owner in charge of a last-place squad, portrayed by Javier Bardem.
“They’re 21-22 on the grid, they’ve never scored a point, but they have a young phenom, played by Damson Idris, and they bring me in as kind of a Hail Mary and high jinks ensue,” Pitt said.
“Tell you what’s amazing about it — there are cameras mounted all over the car. You’ve never seen speed, you’ve never seen just the G-forces like this. It’s really, really exciting.”
Pitt also suggested that former driver and F1 presenter Martin Brundle will make a cameo appearance in the movie, to which Brundle accepted.
The F1 season will likely see more filming for the movie.