REVEALED: Brad Pitt to get behind the wheel at Silverstone for British Grand Prix

Brad Pitt will ‘race’ at the British Grand Prix this year, filming scenes for the new Formula One film.

The film, starring the Hollywood superstar, does not yet have a name but is being worked on under the project title ‘Apex’, starring the fictional team APXGP.

Co-producer Lewis Hamilton has been involved in the script from the beginning and promises to ensure the action on the track is as realistic as possible. The seven-time world champion has met with Pitt on several occasions, including at a dinner in Austin, Texas, in 2022, when the sport’s top figures met at a prominent steakhouse in the state capital to discuss the concept. .

Production was delayed by strikes by the Screen Actors’ Guild and Writers’ Guild of America last year, but F1 bosses are now confident it will be released on schedule in 2025, probably in late summer.

The long-awaited blockbuster aims to build on the success of Netflix’s Drive to Survive series, which is airing its sixth series in the UK today, and underlines the sport’s growing appeal to oil lovers around the world.

Pitt, 60, will play Sonny Hayes, a washed-up former F1 star who returns to mentor young hopeful Joshua Pierce (Damson Idris).

“Everything will eventually go according to the final schedule originally drawn up despite the disruptions, certainly as far as the launch date is concerned,” an F1 source told Mail Sport last night. “Editing will be accelerated and the cast, including Pitt, will be at Silverstone on July 7.

‘Scenes will also be filmed later this year in places such as Hungary, Japan and Abu Dhabi, the last race of the season, to catch up on what was lost during the strikes. Filming is taking place now, but Brad won’t be back before Silverstone.

The film is directed by Joseph Kosinski, who supervised Top Gun: Maverick. The team captured footage from last year’s F1 races, including the one at Silverstone. There, they were given a garage and walked around in their substitute team uniforms, mingling with real-life F1 competitors. Pitt drove around the Northamptonshire track during the event in front of 480,000 spectators at the weekend. It’s not a sure thing for him to get behind the wheel this year.

The Formula Two cars have been modified to look like F1 cars from the movie. They feature black and gold livery.

Pitt lined up on the race grid as part of the filming, standing alongside the 20 F1 drivers as the pre-grand prix formalities took place.

Hamilton, who works with Apple Studios along with his own production company Dawn Apollo Films, remains in close contact with Fight Club star Pitt.

Formula One has denied that footage filmed in 2023 is canned because it is outdated, and confirmation of a 2025 release underlines that claim, despite the potential problems for continuity editors.

As Pitt told Sky Sports, he will play Hayes, who walked away from the sport after a big fall during the 1990s. Decades later, he is recruited by the owner of a struggling F1 team, played by Javier Bardem. joining APXGP as its second driver and developing the prodigy Pierce.