Toto Wolff recently shared an intriguing anecdote about Lewis Hamilton bluntly advising Brad Pitt that he was too old to depict a Formula One driver contending for World Championships on screen. This candid conversation, which reportedly left Pitt unimpressed, led to a significant alteration in the script for an upcoming F1 film project.
Initially, Pitt’s character, Sonny Hayes, was envisioned as an experienced racer challenging the elite in a bid for a championship. However, following a pivotal discussion during the project’s early stages involving Wolff, Hamilton, and others, the character was revamped. In the revised version, Hayes makes a comeback to Grand Prix racing in his 50s, racing for the struggling fictional team APX GP alongside up-and-coming talent Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris.
The decision to alter the character’s trajectory stemmed from a gathering that involved Wolff, Hamilton, Pitt, and others. Wolff reminisced about the surreal experience of hosting Pitt at their residence in Oxford, recounting the moment Pitt arrived and expressed gratitude for the dinner.
During the discussion, Hamilton pointed out that Pitt, in his current age bracket, was unsuitable to realistically portray a Formula One driver vying for a championship, a remark that Pitt reportedly found displeasing. The script was subsequently reworked to make the character’s role more plausible and engaging.
The F1 film, in which Hamilton served as an executive producer, proved to be a resounding success. It garnered rave reviews, attracted a new wave of enthusiasts, and set box office records, establishing itself as the most commercially successful sports movie to date, amassing a global revenue of £467 million ($628 million).
The positive reception extended to influential figures within the F1 community. Additionally, Formula 1 fans can now enjoy live coverage of every practice, qualifying session, and race by subscribing to Sky’s new Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, which offers significant savings and includes access to around 100 TV channels, along with complimentary subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.
Reflecting on the film’s premiere in Monaco, Wolff expressed satisfaction with the end product and praised its entertainment value, as well as the remarkable revenue it generated.