“F1” (2025), directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick, Tron), is one of the most anticipated sports films of the decade. With the documentary series “Drive to Survive” reaching global popularity as Netflix’s top-ranked show, Formula 1 racing (F1) has gained massive support in recent years, and the hype for this movie has only added fuel to the fire.

Starring Brad Pitt as veteran driver Sonny Hayes and Damson Idris as rising rookie Joshua Pearce, the film dives into the glamorous yet brutal world of Formula 1 racing. Kosinski, known for his adrenaline-heavy visuals, collaborated directly with Formula 1 to capture authentic race weekends using modified Formula 2 cars, official tracks and professional drivers. Anticipation skyrocketed even further thanks to the backing of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who not only co-produced the film but also helped gather motorsport fanbases and channel their energy into this project. With the legacy of great racing films like “Ford v Ferrari” creating a pre-existing market, “F1” arrives at the pinnacle of motorsport storytelling. For Case Western Reserve University students, where a Formula 1 fandom is steadily growing, the film resonates deeply. Much like racing, student life demands balancing grueling schedules, competitive environments and high-stakes ambitions. In this way, F1 (both the sport and the movie) is a spectacle of speed and also a meditation on students’ work lives. 

The plot of the film follows Sonny Hayes, a once-great driver who left Formula 1 after a devastating crash. Years later, he is coaxed back into the sport, not as a competitor for glory, but as a mentor to rookie Joshua Pearce, a talented but reckless young driver for the fictional APXGP team. Together, Hayes and Pearce navigate not only the brutal realities of the F1 circuit—dangerous tracks, team politics and immense pressure—but also their own personal arcs of failure, ambition and redemption. While the plot carries familiar beats from classic sports dramas, the execution feels fresh thanks to its real-world racing integration and focus on intergenerational dynamics.

Watching “F1” is less like passively observing a film and more like being strapped into the cockpit of a racecar. This is why passionate fans frequently buy simulators to attempt to capture the feeling. The camera frequently drops into the driver’s perspective, rattling against tarmac, turbocharged engines roaring so loudly that the theater seats seem to tremble. The cinematography creates a realistic experience, using the same cameras used on F1 television to give fans more entertainment and bring new fans to the sport. Kosinski uses various filming angles to manifest speed as both beauty and terror. Many scenes uncover brutal crashes in which the APXGP drivers use their failures as fuel to ground themselves and succeed in the future. The sweeping Monaco harbor looks breathtaking, as well as the cars zooming by in the Temple of Speed: Monza, Italy. The performances of the actors add more texture to the film: Brad Pitt brings a weary gravitas, while Idris radiates energy and hunger. As a viewer, the sensory overload mirrors what students often feel juggling coursework and looming career stakes—moments where exhilaration and exhaustion blur together.

Kosinski’s use of formal techniques makes “F1” stand apart from earlier racing films like “Rush” or “Ford v Ferrari.” The decision to film on actual Formula One circuits using modified race cars equipped with 6K cameras lends the film a visceral authenticity. Hamilton made sure to equip Kosinski with the necessary tools to provide the most detailed modern Formula 1 movie. From matching the RPMs of the Formula 2 car accelerating to align with the engine of a real Formula 1 car and modifying the body kit, these factors help mask the shortcomings of the stand-in cars and make the movie feel more true to life. The editing is sharp but not disorienting, allowing viewers to feel the rhythms of a race—slow buildups of tension punctuated by heart-stopping bursts of chaos.

Thematically, the film reflects on generational mentorship. Hayes embodies the inevitability of aging and decline, while Pearce symbolizes unbridled potential. Even in the sport today, F1 has many teams that manifest this dynamic. With teams like Aston Martin, Ferrari, Haas and Kick Sauber, the same dynamic from the movie between Pearce and Hayes is present. For university audiences, this dynamic echoes the relationship between seasoned professors, research mentors or upperclassmen and young undergraduates who are eager to prove themselves and be the best they can in a smaller competitive environment. Moreover, the film touches on issues of class and access: while F1 is often critiqued as a sport for the ultra-wealthy, “F1” the movie positions racing as a metaphor for broader questions of privilege, perseverance and risk-taking. 

Ultimately, “F1” succeeds not only as a high-octane thrill ride but also as a character-driven drama about legacy and ambition. For CWRU students, it is more than a sports movie: it is a reminder that progress requires both speed and endurance, mentorship and individuality. Whether you’re pulling an all-nighter in KSL or chasing research breakthroughs in a lab, “F1” captures the tension between burning out and breaking through. While the narrative at times leans on familiar sports-movie clichés, the breathtaking visuals and thematic resonance make it a unique film worth experiencing.