Brad Pitt feels the need for speed as a racing star in new teaser trailer for his upcoming Formula One blockbuster, titled F1.
The film, which is being co-produced by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, will see the Hollywood star play the fictional veteran driver Sonny Hayes, who is returning to the sport after a long absence.
In the trailer released ahead of the British Grand Prix on Sunday, Pitt’s character sets his sights on taking on the rest of the F1 grid with his team APXGP.
It opens with Pitt’s voiceover saying: “Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston, now McLaren all have a speed on the straights, our shot is battling in the turns.
“We need to build our car for combat.”
Irish actress Kerry Condon, who stars as a member of the APXGP team, replies: “How am I supposed to make that safe?” to which he says: “Who said anything about safe?”
The trailer features clips of Pitt speeding through circuits and going wheel-to-wheel with his fellow competitors as Queen’s classic We Will Rock You plays.
Former Haas team principal, Guenther Steiner, also makes a brief cameo as he sticks his head out from the pit wall.
The Fight Club star, 60, portrays a driver who competed in the 1990s but moved to racing in other disciplines after suffering a horrible crash.
It follows the driver coming out of retirement to compete alongside a rookie, played by British actor Damson Idris, for the fictional APXGP team which is sitting at the bottom of the leaderboard.
Pitt has been filming scenes of him racing an adapted Formula Two car at various F1 circuits including in between practice sessions this weekend at the British Grand Prix.
Filming for the movie was delayed amid the US actors’ and writers’ strike.
F1 chiefs hope the film – which will be released on June 25 next year – will follow the popularity of Netflix’s Drive To Survive series.
Top Gun: Maverick filmmaker Joseph Kosinski is directing the project while Jerry Bruckheimer, who also worked on the Tom Cruise blockbuster, is acting as a producer.
The Apple film is being made in collaboration with F1, which is providing the project with special access to the race tracks and drivers.
Hamilton has also been heavily involved in the script to ensure the film is as authentic as possible.
Speaking ahead of a teaser being released, Hamilton said: “Joe and Jerry and the whole crew are so grateful to be here and they have been incredibly respectful of this space and thoughtful too.
“Some people go out and do it their own way, but they have been keen to make sure the heritage (of the sport) is in this movie so I am looking forward to people seeing the trailer.”
Asked about his thoughts on the film’s newly announced title – F1 – he added: “I mean, what else are you going to call it? I like it.”
F1 is set to arrive in cinemas in summer 2025.
