With Monaco’s streets transforming into a race circuit and the world’s media descending on the Principality, Formula 1 drivers took a detour from preparations on Wednesday evening to attend a private screening of F1 The Movie—the Brad Pitt-led film that has become nearly as talked-about as the championship itself.
Hosted at the Grimaldi Forum just ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, the event brought out a glittering line-up of drivers and team principals, all stepping into the spotlight for a behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood’s high-octane take on their world. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Monaco’s hometown favourite, was among the first to arrive, while Mercedes’ George Russell made a dramatic entrance behind the wheel of his AMG ONE hypercar, partner Carmen Montero Mundt in the passenger seat.
Lewis Hamilton, who serves as a producer on the film, made his entrance in the back seat of a Ferrari Purosangue. One notable absence? Reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who opted for a quieter night—spotted streaming on Twitch from home under his well-known pseudonym @FranzHermann69.
Also in attendance were Toto and Susie Wolff, joined by several other senior figures from across the paddock, making the evening as much a meeting of F1 minds as a cinematic celebration.
Directed by Top Gun: Maverick filmmaker Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Brad Pitt and Hamilton himself, F1 The Movie has generated intense buzz ahead of its global release on 25th June. With Pitt playing former driver Sonny Hayes and Damson Idris as rising rookie Joshua Pearce, the film follows the fictional APXGP team as it battles from the back of the grid to the heart of the action.
Filmed on location during real Grand Prix weekends—including in Monaco—the production was granted rare access to F1 paddocks, garages, and even race sessions, allowing Pitt and Idris to drive two modified Formula 2 cars developed by Mercedes, seamlessly integrated into the real race weekend environment.
With drivers themselves appearing alongside the main cast, the film is promising a level of authenticity never before seen in a motorsport movie—something fans and critics alike will judge when it lands in cinemas internationally on 25th June and in North America on 27th June.
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Main photo source: F1 Facebook