Blink and you might miss Brad Pitt speeding by in the latest look at his highly anticipated racing drama F1.

A new trailer on Thursday showed the 61-year-old actor as fictional Formula 1 driver Sonny Hayes clashing on the track with his young Apex Grand Prix teammate Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris. The Apple TV+ movie, based on the racing series, arrives in theaters June 27.

Although he’s an older driver in the film, Pitt was a racing rookie prior to the role and needed to earn his stripes in the seat. Luckily, he had the best mentor possible in Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time F1 champion.

Hamilton, a co-producer, promises the film will “encapsulate what the essence of this sport is all about” and has said he expects it to be the best racing movie of all time.

Here’s everything we know about the F1 movie and Hamilton’s pivotal role in training Pitt.

Is Brad Pitt actually racing?

While Pitt might not be as fast as a real F1 driver, he certainly wasn’t afraid to punch the accelerator. Director Joseph Kosinski, who helmed the 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick starring Tom Cruise, has confirmed that Pitt and co-star Idris drove on actual F1 circuits and reached speeds of up to 180 mph. “Brad had a lot of natural ability,” Kosinski said, according to People.

Instead of filming on a movie set, the cast shot scenes during actual race weekends—with Pitt driving laps between practice and qualifying sessions in a modified Formula 2-style car. The production team was able to add computer-generated race cars later on. To make viewers feel like they are in driver’s seat, Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer developed the “smallest movable 6K camera ever.”

The F1 series helped make the experience as immersive as possible. Julien Simon-Chautemps, a longtime race engineer, tweeted pictures in 2023 showing that Pitt and Idris actually had their own garage stalls decorated for their fictional characters.

However, Pitt still needed “months” of training, and that’s where Hamilton played his part.

Hamilton lent his expertise to make F1 and Pitt believable

Although Pitt is a racing enthusiast and an unabashed fan of MotoGP—even narrating the 2015 documentary Hitting the Apex about the world’s top motorcycle racers—driving an open-wheel race car was a new experience. So, Hamilton took a hands-on approach.

Get the latest news about your favorite Hollywood stars delivered straight to your inbox.

One of the highest-paid athletes in the world according to Forbes, Hamilton advised filmmakers on the script and storyline. His former Mercedes team also designed the car Pitt uses in the movie.

According to the BBC, Hamilton spent time with Pitt at a track in California to help him learn about racing. He was also at the Silverstone course to monitor Pitt’s progress in testing sessions behind the wheel.

lewis hamilton sitting down with a large picture of a race car behind him
Getty Images
Current Ferrari F1 driver Lewis Hamilton serves as a co-producer for the movie.

Like Kosinski, the 40-year-old driver was impressed with Pitt’s commitment to the role. “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,” Hamilton said. “The dedication and the focus that Brad put into this process has been amazing to witness.”

Hamilton has been vocally supportive of the Babylon actor in other ways. Pitt, whose character in F1 comes out of retirement, is almost 18 years older than current eldest F1 competitor Fernando Alonso. That led to discussion about whether Pitt was too old for the role.

Hamilton vehemently disagrees. “Brad looks like he’s been aging backwards. He looks great for his age,” Hamilton said, according to ESPN. “He’s super-fit, he’s been training… at the end of the day it’s a movie, so there will be a Hollywood element to it that will make it believable.”

We’ll just have to wait until June to see if moviegoers feel the same way.

Headshot of Tyler Piccotti
Tyler Piccotti
News and Culture Editor, Biography.com

Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.