F1: The Movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer has revealed that Brad Pitt branded his final day of filming the Formula 1 film as “his unhappiest day”.
The film, starring Pitt alongside Damson Idris, Javier Bardem, Tobias Menzies, Kerry Condon and Kim Bodnia, was released in June 2025 and has since reached almost $630million in the global box office. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and featuring seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton as an executive producer, the actors were fully immersed in the world of F1 with filming taking place during real-life race weekends.
Pitt and his co-star Idris both drove modified Formula 2 cars during the filming and it even led to the Hollywood star having the opportunity to drive a McLaren F1 car at the Circuit of The Americas, home of the United States Grand Prix.
“When Brad climbed onto the car, it was his last run. He would say it was his unhappiest day because he wanted to drive some more,” Bruckheimer told PEOPLE.
Kosinski previously revealed that the team allowed Pitt to do some additional laps in the car on the final day of shooting.
“So I never felt like we were being irresponsible. I never feel like they were out of control,” Kosinski said. “We had an amazing team around them, and he was really sad to get out of the car on the last day. That was for him. He really misses it.
“I think it was [emotional],” he said. “We let him do a few more laps at the end of the last take just because I knew he loved it. I think it was emotional for him to say goodbye to this character because he really loved playing him.”
Brad Pitt, McLaren MCL60
Photo by: McLaren
After being offered the opportunity to drive a 2023 McLaren F1 car by McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown during a private test day at COTA, Pitt said that he had never experienced anything like it before.
“I got to hit 197mph this week. I really wanted to hit 200. You know, it hurts me a little bit – three miles per hour short on the straight. This was at Austin,” Pitt explained during an appearance on the Beyond The Grid podcast.
“I’ve just never experienced anything that’s just, more feeling of presence in my life. You’re so focused, but you’re not white-knuckling. You’re just in this sublime groove. It is really extraordinary.
“I try to explain this feeling of downforce, and I fail every time because you try to say like a rollercoaster, but that’s not even right, because you feel the fulcrum point underneath you – you’re in it.
“I was in an aerobatic plane once, and it’s the closest thing, but still this thing. This is such a unique feeling and an absolute high. I’m still on a high, I really am. I’m just still on a high.
“And I can’t thank Zak Brown and the team [enough]. I spent the day out with Lando [Norris] – just what a high, what a high.”
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