Lewis Hamilton has expressed his pride over the “great” reactions he received from his fellow Formula 1 drivers after their exclusive first look at the new F1 movie in the build-up to this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Set to launch internationally on June 25 and in North America on June 27, F1 is directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Brad Pitt and seven-time F1 World Champion Hamilton, among other respected names.
Pitt stars as former F1 driver Sonny Hayes, who returns to the sport to partner rookie team mate Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris, at the fictional APXGP team.
On Wednesday evening, F1’s current crop of drivers got to find out how Hayes and Pearce’s stories unfolded as part of a private screening event in the Principality, with Hamilton admitting that he felt some nerves beforehand.
‘It’s a real thrill…I’m so excited for people to see it’ – Lewis Hamilton on the new F1 movie
“It’s been four years we’ve been working on that project, and I’ve been a part of it since day one,” Hamilton told media after the screening.
“To see the first 30 pages [of the story] and then see it grow to the 130 pages it was in the end, to get to work on music, curation of the cast, and to now see it on the big screen yesterday…
“I was nervous to see what all the drivers were going to think, because it was a very, very hard balance to get it to not be just Hollywood, be authentic, but also you still need drama and chaos, underdog and all that kind of stuff in it.
“Obviously I’m not a writer, but I think the response has been great. In general, it’s been a really positive response, so I’m grateful for that.”
Hamilton went on to share a few more details about the film’s production – as well as what fans can expect in terms of the storytelling and cinematic experience.
F1 | Main Trailer
“I saw the final product a long time ago, but I’m so excited for people to see it,” he said. “Last night was the first time I’d seen it on the big screen. I’ve been watching it on my laptop for the past four or five months – every time [the] iterations getting better and better.
“I think fans are going to… I think it’s going to keep you on the edge of your seat. The sound is incredible, the images from the car, the cockpit… we developed with Apple a new camera that’s never been used, so you’re capturing footage and angles that you’ve never seen before.
BEHIND THE SCENES: How the upcoming ‘F1’ movie plays into the sport’s great underdog tradition
“I think when you’re watching the racing, experiencing the racing interactions, you feel like you’re in the car with us. It’s something I’ve always wanted people to feel, but it’s very hard to do it with the camera that’s above us.
“It’s a real underdog story, there’s romance involved, there’s competition – it’s a thrill.”
For more information on the F1 film, head to our dedicated hub.
RACE TICKETS – MONACO
Don’t miss your chance to experience the world’s most famous street circuit…