F1: The Movie hits cinemas across the UK today and while many drivers are in favour of the new movie, some drivers have questioned whether or not the new blockbuster is a good thing for the sport.
Max Verstappen has noticeably been absent from any of the promotions for the movie, and it now appears his refusal to participate in the movie has changed the film that viewers will see on the big screen.
The Dutchman declined to film a scene in a nightclub with Brad Pitt for the movie and skipped the driver screening of the movie in Monaco as well as skipping the premiere in both New York and London.
Lewis Hamilton has produced the movie and has claimed that the movie will offer never-before-seen access to the sport. But many have raised the question of how ‘Hollywood’ will the movie go.
Max Verstappen does not seem in favour of the new movie
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The Telegraph has been told the filmmakers rented out Silverstone for three months in 2023, during which time Pitt and Idris practiced in everything from road cars to Formula Fords. The choice caused a lot of frustration for junior drivers who would have usually had access to the track at those times.
After extensive training Pitt and Idris were allowed to join the grid for a real-life formation lap in modified Formula 2 cars, they even attended the national anthem as well as lining up on the grid for the race start.
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Carlos Sainz has warned die-hard Formula 1 fans that they need to be “open-minded” when it comes to the new movie: “I’ll just say, for the pure F1 fan, be open-minded to Hollywood films.”
The filmmakers have echoed the same sentiment, during a special preview screening in Montreal, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinski warned fans before the lights went down, “Remember, this is not a documentary,” Bruckheimer warned. “It’s a movie.”
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APX GP makes up the 11th team on the grid in the new movie
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Hamilton has played a major role in how the movie has been created, offering unique insight to the crew to help them understand the mind of an F1 driver.
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Hamilton’s production company, Dawn Apollo, will feature in the opening credits and he did more than just advise on the movie. The Briton helped coach Pitt and Idris, as well as consulting on the dialogue and the racing scenes.
It remains to be seen how audiences will react to the new movie, but the drivers will now be able to turn their attention back to racing as the teams gear up to get back on track this weekend for the Austrian Grand Prix.
The film features modified F2 cars
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Verstappen finds himself behind the two McLarens needing a good result to bring him back into the championship fight.
Meanwhile, Hamilton is struggling to get to grips with his new Ferrari, languishing down in sixth and having yet to score a Grand Prix podium for the Scuderia.
Hamilton's teammate Charles Leclerc has already scored three this season and is 25 points clear of him in the drivers standings.
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