PE Express F1 columnist, Natalie Le Clue, reviews the recently released F1 Movie
It’s not hard to figure out who the F1 movie is for. It’s certainly not for the purists who, quite rightly, will point out that Sonny Hayes could never have made it onto the F1 grid without a superlicence—or any of the other bizarre goings-on in the film. This is a movie made for the Drive to Survive-era fan or, more likely, for someone who’s never heard of Formula One at all.
Some scenarios border on the laughable—like Hayes deliberately losing his front wing, repeatedly, just to bring out a safety car. Yes, it’s a dramatisation. But perhaps those behind the film shouldn’t have gone on record saying they aimed to create the most “authentic” F1 movie possible, only to turn around and script something this utterly ridiculous.
That said, not every outlandish moment is as far-fetched as it seems. Take Hayes’s first race start, where he somehow gains seven places off the grid. Unlikely? Maybe. Impossible? Not really. We’ve seen Kimi Räikkönen pull off a sublime first lap at the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix, climbing from sixteenth to sixth in a single lap. We’re not comparing Sonny Hayes to the great Kimi, of course, but it’s worth noting that even some of the more ostentatious moments aren’t entirely beyond the realm of possibility.
What’s most unfortunate, though, is the film’s portrayal of women. Yes, it’s Hollywood, and the main female character’s predictable story arc comes as no surprise. But it’s the secondary character, Jody—a team mechanic—whose depiction does women in motorsport no favours. She bumbles around the garage, constantly in the way, and botches a pit stop within the first few minutes of the film, painting her as inept and hopelessly out of her depth. It’s a lazy stereotype that undermines the real progress women have made in F1, where female engineers, strategists, and mechanics play pivotal roles on race day. Frankly, it’s a disservice to the women already breaking barriers in the sport and to the young girls watching who might imagine a future for themselves in the paddock.
The characters, across the board, are paper-thin. There’s nothing about them that makes you want to root for them. Brad Pitt’s Sonny Hayes doesn’t come across as particularly charming, and his tired “I-could-have-been-a-contender” routine falls flat. Then there’s the rookie phenom, Joshua Pearce, who seems more interested in his personal brand than actual racing. The film half-heartedly attempts to redeem him towards the end, but the turnaround feels so rushed and hollow that it never quite sticks. You’re left not really caring either way.
All things considered, you’re better off saving your money. Skip this one—cinema or otherwise.
