Joseph Kosinski's Apple TV+ film 'F1' adapted real race cars for production

F1 director Joseph Kosinski has revealed he and his team purchased six real F2 cars adapted with cameras for Brad Pitt and Damson Idris to drive.

Speaking at a launch event for the film, Kosinski revealed that Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff came up with the idea of having the movie’s actors driving real racing cars.

"He said, ‘why don’t you start with a race car, and take a real race car, and then work the cameras that you need into that?’," said Kosinski.

The Mercedes AMG, the Formula One team, and their engineers worked with the production to build real race cars that could carry the camera equipment, recorders and transmitters. Filming took place at real F1 events. 

The film follows former F1 racer Sonny Hayes' (played by Pitt) return to the sport after retiring following a crash, teaming up with upcoming driver Joshua Pearce (Idris) as part of the struggling Apex Grand Prix team run by Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem). 

Kosinski said it took “months of training” in order to prepare Idris and Pitt to drive the high-powered cars.

Producers are Jerry Bruckheimer, Kosinski, Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Chad Oman.

SFX production services for F1 were provided variously by UK-based Clear Angle Studios, Framestore, and ILM. UK's CineAero provided drone cinematography services. In Hungary, HGL Group provided customs freight and shipping services. In the US, production services were provided by Las Vegas Layout, Production Air Charter, and Skywalker Sound. Green Eyes Production were sustainability consultants.

Reporting carried out by PA Media.