Brad Pitt Drives Race Car at British Grand Prix for New Formula 1 Movie: 'Every Guy’s Dream'

Brad Pitt wore a white racing suit and mingled with real-life Formula 1 drivers while filming his new movie at Silverstone race track in England on Sunday

Brad Pitt, star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, and Damson Idris, co-star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, walk on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit
Brad Pitt and Damson Idris film their new Apple Studios Formula 1 movie. Photo:

Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Brad Pitt is in the driving seat! 

The actor, 59, sported a racing suit and walked the grid with real-life Formula 1 (F1) drivers to film his new movie at the British Grand Prix on Sunday.

Together with his costar Damson Idris, Pitt, who has been cast as a veteran F1 driver in the film, wore a white and black racing suit with the logo for their fictional team APXGP. 

“Welcome to the grid, APXGP 👀#F1,” the official Instagram account for Formula 1 wrote alongside a series of snapshots of the fictional team on the grid — with Pitt and Idris, 31, standing alongside drivers including current F1 world champion Max Verstappen and Ferarri’s Carlos Sainz. 

Pitt was also filmed driving on the track for the movie and admitted he was feeling a “little giddy” after the adrenaline-filled drive in front of 140,000 race fans at the Silverstone race track in Northamptonshire, around 70 miles north of London. 

Brad Pitt, star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, and Damson Idris, co-star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, stand for thr national anthem on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit
Pitt and Idris filmed with professional drivers including current World Champion Max Verstappen.

Dan Mullan/Getty Images

“I’ve got to say it’s just great to be here,” Pitt told Sky Sports F1 presenter Martin Brundle after his turn in a modified Formula 2 car. “We’re just having such a laugh, such a laugh, time of my life.”

“Listen, it’s just all been great, I mean the vibe’s amazing, just to get to be a part of it in this way and get to tell our story, everyone has been really cool with us. All the teams have opened the doors for us.” 

“It’s going to be really good,” he added of the movie. “I’m gonna be here until they kick me out because I'm loving it. I think it’s every guy’s dream.”

Brad Pitt, star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, and Damson Idris, co-star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, walk on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit
Pitt and Idris wore white and black racing suits for fictional team APXGP.

Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Pitt then went on to open up about the premise of the movie. “I would be a guy who raced in the 90s,” he said. “He has a horrible crash and kind of craps out and disappears and then is racing in other disciplines.”

“Then his friend, played by Javier Bardem, is the team owner. They’re the last place team, they’re 21, 22 on the grid, they’ve never scored a point and they have a young phenom played by Damson Idris and he brings me in as kind of a Hail Mary and hijinks ensure. Tell you what’s amazing about it, you’ll see the cameras come out all over the car, the shots you’ve never seen speed, you’ve never seen G forces like this, it’s really, really exciting.”

The Big Short star also revealed that he’d never driven a racing car on a track before and had only driven bikes. “I’ve spent the last 20 years on bikes on tracks, so that helped a lot,” he said, adding that it was “really humbling” to have some of the drivers showing him the way on the track. 

Brad Pitt, star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, and Javier Bardem talk on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit
The fictional team also filmed on the track.

Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

“I don’t know if you can call mine a hot lap, I call it kind of a warm lap,” he laughed at his driving skills. “I’ve taken a few tours unintentionally through the grass, it’s been such a high.”

Asked if he’d “hit anything hard yet,” Pitt laughed, “No, only my ego.” 

“I really wasn’t [nervous[, the guys really prepared me well,” he continued. “There is a couple of corners that I can see the stands but on the straights you have a bit of time to look around, but no I’m really focused on lines and what we’re trying to create in these moments.”

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“For us I want to say for all the armchairs experts out there you’ve go to give us a little breathing room. If you see any spin outs or something that looks like a stall, it’s by design!”  

Going on to reveal his newfound respect for F1 drivers through filming, he added, “As a civilian I had no idea what it takes to be a driver and the aggression and dexterity. They’re amazing athletes. I’ve got so much respect for everyone out there in all classes.” 

According to BBC News, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is one of the producers of the untitled Apple Studios film. The flick is also being made in collaboration with F1, which has allowed them special access to racetracks and professional drivers. 

The British Grand Prix was a star-studded affair, with celebrities including Florence Pugh, Liam Payne, Geri Horner, Cara Delevingne, Paris Hilton and Damian Lewis all in attendance. 

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