As we first reported on ActioNewz.com, a screening of F1: The Movie was held in Monaco earlier this week, and nearly the entire grid of Formula 1 drivers was in attendance.
4-time World Champion Max Verstappen was one of only two who didn't show up, though that came as no surprise to fans; not only did he decline to appear in scenes with Brad Pitt, but he's been critical of the way the sport has been overdramatised through projects like this and Netflix's Drive to Survive.
However, while he was busy streaming (as well as being the world's best racing driver, Verstappen is also an accomplished SIM racer), many of his contemporaries did sit down to watch F1: The Movie, and their responses...well, they may be telling. Remember, Formula 1 has taken an active role in producing the film, so the best way we can explain that is by saying this is like asking a current member of the Avengers cast what they thought of a new MCU movie!
McLaren driver Lando Norris said, "It was a cool story, I think an inspirational story – it had a lot of different meanings behind it all. But a cool storyline and a lot of inspiration for young people coming into it."
Williams driver Carlos Sainz pointed out, "For the hardcore fan and for journalists, we will see things that might be a bit too American or a bit too Hollywood. But honestly, I enjoyed the whole film." His teammate, Alex Albon, added, "I think they've found a good balance. It’s hard to not look at everything with a fine comb and just relax and watch it as a movie. I think for Hollywood, they did a good job."
2-time World Champion and Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso weighed in with, "It's not a documentary, it's still a movie, so there were a couple of [inaccuracies]...in terms of track action, was very original and very representative."
Alpine's Esteban Ocon "would have liked to be more racing focused and maybe a bit less crashing," but still called it "super immersive" even if "there were things that didn't make too much sense for us as drivers being inside the paddock."
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc also shared his thoughts, and after similarly pointing out inaccuracies, acknowledged that it's been made for a "broader audience" and shared, "The [driving] scenes are incredible. I'm super impressed by how the camera was put onto the cars and the angles that we see from the cars driving. It's amazing for F1 because we are reaching people that we wouldn't have reached without this movie."
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli called F1: The Movie "long but really well made" and said, "I think, for everyone in the world, I think it's gonna be a really cool movie. Cool story as well, so yeah. I think people will really like it."
The takeaway from these reactions is that it's a good Hollywood movie with plenty of impressive driving scenes, but a lack of realism and perhaps too much dramatisation. This was to be expected, though, and it seems the goal with F1: The Movie is to bring more eyes to Formula 1, something Drive to Survive achieved when it launched in 2019, leading to record-high ratings for the races.
F1: The Movie was originally developed for Apple TV+, but with a reported $300 million budget, the streamer teamed with Warner Bros. and pivoted to a theatrical release. Will F1 fans turn up for a movie that overdramatises and doesn't accurately represent the sport? Is F1 and Pitt a big enough draw for regular audiences? We'll find out next month.
F1: The Movie arrives in UK cinemas on June 25 and races into U.S. theaters on June 27.