I’m A Huge F1 Fan And I’m Totally Fine With The Most Unrealistic Parts Of Brad Pitt’s F1

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Heads Up: This narrative delves into the world of Formula One racing, beware as it may contain plot twists that could ruin your experience if you’re not up-to-date. Proceed with care!

Over the upcoming weekend, the highly-anticipated film “F1” featuring Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem will premiere on our movie screens. As a devoted Formula 1 enthusiast, I’ve been eagerly waiting for this movie since production began during the 2023 F1 season. Admittedly, I thought it might veer into fantasy, but that didn’t dampen my excitement. In fact, let me share with you what I found intriguing about it.

The Racing Tactics Were Nothing Like Real Racing

Despite the movie not depicting the initial qualifying rounds or practice sessions common in a Grand Prix, the on-track strategies of Sonny Hayes’ (Pitt) and Joshua Pearce’s (Damson Idris) team are quite distinct from what you’d find in an actual race. Echoing Jerry Bruckheimer’s past racing epic, Days of Thunder, there are significantly more instances of “racing involves rubbing” than one would encounter in a real-life competition.

In Formula One racing, Sonny’s playful attempts to sabotage both his opponents and his own vehicle would be swiftly detected by the race marshals, likely resulting in his disqualification from the race and perhaps even a temporary ban from competing. While “rubbing” is an accepted practice in NASCAR, it’s downright perilous in F1, given that the cars are both highly sensitive and incredibly swift. In contemporary F1, safety is of utmost importance; race authorities would never tolerate such hazardous behavior from a team.

The Race In The Rain Was Also Completely Unrealistic

At the iconic Monza track during the Italian Grand Prix, a heavy downpour begins. It’s not unusual for F1 races to carry on in such conditions (usually); however, it’s peculiar that Sonny and Joshua, the drivers, engage in a conversation about the choice of tires they should use.

The debate revolves around two types of tires: “slick” tires, which are used for racing and have no grooves whatsoever, and “intermediate” tires, designed for light rain with shallow tread to displace water. In rain as intense as depicted in the film, it’s extremely unlikely that cars would remain on the track using slick tires. They would experience virtually no traction at all. Instead, the discussion would likely center around intermediates or “full wet” tires (with deeper grooves for heavier rain). Choosing slick tires under such conditions would almost certainly lead to a catastrophic outcome, as demonstrated in the movie.

Joshua’s Crash Was Incredible On Screen, But…

In the thrilling world of Formula 1, I truly anticipated witnessing an immense, explosive crash. And oh boy, did we get one! Due to his misfortune of staying on slicks in the rain, Joshua veered off the track and collided with the barrier with a powerful impact, causing a fiery explosion. Such crashes are typically associated with racing movies but are exceptionally uncommon in actual races. In reality, most crashes result in a car losing control, spinning onto the gravel or into a wall, with little to no fire involved. These days, you’ll rarely see a fire, and drivers usually manage to extricate themselves from their damaged vehicles without assistance.

Back in the day, Formula 1 races were notorious for numerous severe and even fatal crashes. The movie “Rush,” released in 2013, accurately portrayed one such incident from the 1970s. However, following the tragic demise of the iconic Ayrton Senna at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994, Formula 1 has been dedicated to enhancing safety in their vehicles, and they have largely been successful in this endeavor. Today, even fans like Alexandra Daddario appreciate the increased safety measures in F1 racing.

It’s important to note that major crashes similar to the one depicted in the movie are not common occurrences. For instance, during the 2020 season, Haas driver Romain Grosjean experienced a crash at the Bahrain Grand Prix that was severe enough to send him into a safety barrier and cause his car to burst into flames. Remarkably, Grosjean managed to escape unscathed with only minor burns on his hands. So, while such an accident as portrayed in the movie is possible, it’s highly unusual.

None Of This Bothered Me, Though

Contrary to how it might appear, I wasn’t criticizing the racing sequences in F1; on the contrary, they didn’t bother me one bit. In fact, I was anticipating the film to be excessively thrilling, even over-the-top. Believe it or not, that’s exactly what I wanted! The racing scenes, as my colleague Eric Eisenberg pointed out in his review of F1, are simply astounding.

F1 represents a remarkable technological milestone, consistently delivering the exhilarating sensation of riding along with some of the fastest vehicles in motorsport.

F1 offers such an exhilarating experience for racing enthusiasts that it’s immaterial to bend reality a little. The racing sequences, starting with Sonny’s debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona and concluding at Rally Mexico, are simply fantastic.

Since Formula 1 backed the production wholeheartedly, every racer for the 2023 season showed up, making it feel like an exciting Easter egg hunt for me as a fan: “Look! There’s Max Verstappen! Hey, there’s Fernando Alonso!” Additionally, renowned tracks such as Silverstone, Spa, and Monza are extensively featured in the movie, providing an exhilarating experience. Overall, it’s quite a thrilling journey.

F1 embodies the essence of an exhilarating summer popcorn movie experience, but it’s not a documentary or a series like Drive To Survive, which you can stream on Netflix. Trying to compare it to those is rather unreasonable. However, it should certainly pique your interest in F1 racing. If the less realistic aspects bother you, perhaps you could adopt Sonny’s mindset during the final lap – let the race do the thrilling part and immerse yourself in the excitement.

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2025-06-27 22:08