F1 (12A) |Close-Up Film Review

I’ll be honest—I’m not glued to the F1 calendar I’m not a F1 fanatic, but I do dip in now and then for the drama, I feel the buzz when those engines rev and the grid lights go out.

And let’s not forget that iconic F1 theme tune, that glorious blast of ‘The Chain’ by Fleetwood Mac—it’s legendary, it’s goosebumps every time. So when I heard they were making a feature film based on the sport, with Brad Pitt and Damson Idris in the driving seats and Joseph Kosinski (of Top Gun: Maverick) I buckled up fast.

F1 puts us in the passenger seat with Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a former driver who never quite reached world champion status, but was once a rising talent on the circuit—racing alongside the greats, just before the Schumacher and Damon Hill era. A devastating crash ended his F1 career prematurely, but Sonny never let go of his need for speed. Over the years, he’s competed in endurance races, street circuits—anything to feel that rush. For Sonny, racing has never been about money or fame. It’s about that rare, transcendent moment: when you’re flying, no one in front, and it’s just you, the machine, and the road.

That purity is what pulls him back when APXGP, a struggling new team, asks him to return—not just as a driver, but as a mentor to their young star, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris). Idris is electric, bringing edge, swagger, and vulnerability to Pearce—a driver trying to stay cool under the pressure of living up to the hype.

Javier Bardem brings corporate chaos and charisma as team boss Ruben Cervantes, but it’s Kerry Condon who delivers one of the film’s strongest performances as Kate McKenna, the brilliant lead engineer. She brings smarts, calm, and determination—finally giving us a female figure in motorsport who feels real and vital.

The racing? Unreal. The cinematography puts you right on the track, tighter and more intense than even a live TV broadcast. You feel the grip of the tyres, the roar of the crowd, and the silence inside the helmet. Watching in a packed cinema, there was a collective stillness—eyes beaming, hearts in sync, everyone feeling that flying sensation.

My only pit stop complaint? The ending slightly underdelivers emotionally, easing to a halt rather than roaring across the finish line.

But make no mistake: F1 is a fast, ferocious thrill ride with a whole lot of heart.

F1 is more exhilarating than I expected, and I loved nearly every second!