Brad Pitt on becoming Sonny Hayes Formula 1 race driver

Hollywood A-lister and superstar, Pitt has played many roles in his career, but few have taken him as deep into character—and real-world danger—as his latest: Sonny Hayes, a retired racing driver making a comeback in the new Formula 1 feature film.

For the Oscar-winning actor, this wasn’t just another scripted job. It was a full-blown immersion into the world of motorsport, with Pitt not only starring in the film but also strapping into a race car and hitting the track at real Formula 1 Grands Prix during live events.

In an in-depth conversation for the Beyond the Grid podcast, Pitt opened up about his racing journey—from training for months with professional drivers, to lining up on the grid at Silverstone, and even hitting 197 mph during a filmed sequence in Austin.

His enthusiasm for the sport is no act. Pitt speaks like a driver, thinks like a competitor, and holds a deep respect for the physics, precision, and danger that define Formula 1. “Trust the car. Push more,” became his personal mantra behind the wheel.

Pitt credits much of the film’s authenticity to the support of Lewis Hamilton, who served as a producer and creative consultant. The seven-time World Champion helped shape the script, advised on technical realism, and even corrected gear ratios in post-production.

But for all the high-speed action, Pitt says what he's most proud of is the film’s emotional core: a story that resonates with hardcore fans and newcomers alike.

“It’s visceral, it’s moving, it’s even spiritual,” he says. And after two years of development, racing, and storytelling, Pitt doesn’t just want the ride to end. A sequel? “Absolutely,” he smiles. “Even if I’ve aged out, I’d come back as team boss.”

Brad Pitt: Sadly, you're talking to an actor. One who dreams of being a racing driver.

Brad Pitt: I probably would’ve stuck with it. Once I got in the ring with Geena, Susan, and Ridley, I was hooked. But I grew up around racing. I’m from the Ozarks, where you had stock car racing and demolition derbies. That culture comes from the moonshine era, outrunning the cops on dirt roads. I was always on wheels. It felt natural to me.

Brad Pitt: I had the time of my life. Honestly, I’m a little sad it’s over. I’ve got to figure out a sequel.

Brad Pitt: This wasn’t “have to,” it was “want to.” We started training about four months before filming. In the beginning, I was picking up seconds. By the end, after the strike and two years of work, I was chasing tenths. I drove with Luciano Bacheta. Damson Idris had Craig Dolby. We had Duncan Tappy helping choreograph track scenes. It was a real racing education.

Brad Pitt: Yeah, I’ve spent my life on bikes. I'm a huge MotoGP fan. That actually led me to Formula 1. I already understood racing lines, trail braking, all that. I had a head start.

Brad Pitt: Trusting the brakes. You're flat out at 180mph and have to believe there’s enough braking power before a wall. The brakes are astonishing, even in the Apex car, which is nowhere near an F1 car. Then it’s about trusting the car through high-speed corners. My mantra was, “Trust the car, trust the car, trust the car. Push more.” You learn what these machines can do. Physically? Sure, your neck and body get sore, but it’s a good sore. You feel like you’ve earned it.

Brad Pitt: Not one specifically, but we drew on the entire history of the sport. Bits from ’94, ’08, you’ll recognize echoes. Fernando Alonso was an inspiration. Sonny’s team is dead last, so he has to play at the edge of the rules just to compete. That’s where his story begins.

Brad Pitt: I think you absorb those little things over years of watching. But I’ll admit, that first shoot at Silverstone, standing for the national anthem next to the real drivers, I felt like a bit of a horse’s ass. By the end, though, we felt like we belonged.

Brad Pitt: Unreal. We had nine minutes to shoot our scene right on the grid. We had to prove we wouldn’t mess up the schedule or get in anyone’s way. I found myself walking with Carlos Sainz. These little unscripted moments just happened. But the biggest was taking the car out on qualifying day in front of 100,000 fans. My comms went down. I was driving deaf. But Luciano and I had rehearsed it so many times, we made it work.

Brad Pitt: That pressure adds to the energy. Whatever we get is what’s carved into the film. It adds urgency. And yeah, a need for speed.

Brad Pitt: I hit 197mph in Austin. I really wanted 200. It’s funny, on the straight is when you finally get to breathe. Everything else puts you in this incredible state of presence. You’re not white-knuckling. You’re flowing. It’s sublime.

Brad Pitt: Absolutely. When it all clicks, you feel like you’re playing this insanely complicated instrument perfectly. It’s music.

Brad Pitt: Massive. The pickup, the brakes, the downforce, it’s on a whole other level. I want to go back and try to beat my time. Yeah, I’m competitive.

Brad Pitt: He couldn’t get near me. Make sure he hears that.

Brad Pitt: We used them a bit, but I wasn’t crazy about them. We got spoiled with real seat time. For Vegas, we just had to go out cold, in the dark, in the wet. It was wild.

Brad Pitt: Silverstone, because that’s where we found our rhythm. Abu Dhabi has a special place in my heart too, since we wrapped there. But the high of highs? Spa. My God. 4.3 miles, 100-meter elevation through the forest, Pouhon, Eau Rouge… It’s breathtaking. We stood at the bottom of Eau Rouge and watched Fernando come through. It sucked the air right out of your lungs.

Brad Pitt: Honestly, how much I miss it. F1 opened its doors to us in a way I still can’t believe. Lewis Hamilton was pivotal. He informed the script and opened the gates. We based Sonny’s past on Martin Donnelly’s crash. Martin gave us his blessing. Everyone, from the teams to the broadcasters, welcomed us. It was an audacious idea. I don’t think any film has done this before.

Brad Pitt: Of course. Grand Prix, Le Mans, Rush. We’re in that slipstream. But our goal was to make something even more visceral. Something that shows the forces at play. The physics. The feeling.

Brad Pitt: Absolutely. McQueen, Redford, Newman, Hackman, Duvall. Those guys were my idols. McQueen straddled both acting and racing beautifully. Newman too.

Brad Pitt: I’d love to. I know I could be competitive at some level. But racecraft takes time. I’m starting late. Newman started at 50. There’s hope.

Brad Pitt: Ha. Put me in first, and he can make up the gap.

Brad Pitt: He’s a total gentleman. Kind, respectful. Even his texts. We had 12-hour script sessions in London, bouncing ideas. Everything had to pass his smell test. Joe Kosinski was smart to bring him on from the start. His feedback, even in post-production audio, was spot on. He’d say, “That’s fourth gear, you need fifth.” The man’s a genius.

Brad Pitt: At a small track south of LA. He took me out in a Porsche. We hit gravel. He was howling with laughter. It was his first time back in a car since 2021. He was having a blast.

Brad Pitt: Only about messing up F1’s schedule. Didn’t want to be the guy who caused a red flag. But the driving itself? I just wanted more. At Abu Dhabi, I was counting down. Three more runs. Two more. Then they gave me one more at night. Extraordinary.

Brad Pitt: That we found a story that works for everyone, hardcore fans and newcomers. It’s emotional, moving, even spiritual. The challenge was threading that needle, being true to the sport but accessible. That was two years of negotiation, and I’m proud of how we landed it.

Brad Pitt: Yeah, ten days off with my lady. Then I’m back in LA, working on a Tarantino script that Fincher’s directing. I still feel like telling stories.

Brad Pitt: Absolutely. Even if I’ve aged out. I’d still love to see it. Maybe as a team principal or owner.

Brad Pitt: One that stays with me is Martin Donnelly’s crash at Jerez. We studied that footage closely. There’s this shot, you see him working the gear stick, heel-toeing at mad speeds with wild vibrations. It’s seared in my brain. It captures the soul of racing.