"F1" Trailer: Brad Pitt Races for Glory in Joseph Kosinski’s High-Octane Racing Drama with Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon, and Damson Idris

The Top Gun: Maverick director puts Pitt in the driver’s seat for an adrenaline-fueled comeback story, with Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon, and Damson Idris co-starring.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes Brad Pitt such a massive Hollywood star. Sure, he’s a handsome devil and an effortlessly charismatic leading man. But there are plenty of guys like that in Hollywood. So, what is it that truly sets him apart?

Maybe it’s his innate ability to make people root for him. Whether he’s playing a ruthless outlaw, a lovable rogue, or a charming goofball, there’s just something about Pitt that makes you want to see him come out on top. Even when he’s playing a character with questionable morals, you can’t help but be drawn to him. It’s that rare, almost intangible quality that has kept him at the top of his game for decades.

So, putting Pitt in a new sports drama where he’s fighting for a career comeback—and then mixing in his signature magnetism —Well, that just might be the recipe for a big summer blockbuster.

And when you also have Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski and mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer calling the shots? Well, that recipe just got a whole lot sweeter.

Check out the official full-length trailer for Brad Pitt’s latest spectacle, the adrenaline-fueled racing drama F1, which puts the 61-year-old Oscar winner behind the driver’s seat in a race that’s about more than just bragging rights—it’s about proving he still has what it takes to be a winner, both on and off the track.

Now, one could argue Pitt is leaning into his public persona a bit here—after all, he's been through a very public breakup—a messy divorce, no less. But beyond the personal headlines, there are also professional stakes. After the lukewarm reception of his last feature, Wolfs—a darkly comic crime caper reuniting him with longtime pal George Clooney—and the box-office misfire that was Damien Chazelle’s Old Hollywood opus Babylon, Pitt might also be looking to remind the world that he can still own the box office.

So where does Sonny Hayes—his character in F1—begin, and where does Pitt end? Maybe that’s the beauty of his career choices. He has a knack for picking roles that feel almost tailor-made for where he is in his life at any given moment. And if there’s one thing both Pitt and Sonny have in common, it’s that they’re not done racing yet.

In the upcoming film, aging racer Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) has reached the final stage of his career. But instead of coasting into retirement, he’s more determined than ever—setting his sights on the granddaddy of all racing championships: the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

With the support of his longtime friend and team owner, Ruben Cervantes (Oscar-winner Javier Bardem), Sonny assembles a handpicked crew to make one last run at glory. He enlists the expertise of a sharp and experienced race director, Kate (Kerry Condon; Oscar-nominee for The Banshees of Inisherin), to work the track for him. But when Ruben insists that Sonny bring in a rising young racing prodigy, Joshua “Noah” Pearce (Snowfall star Damson Idris), the road to victory becomes more complicated.

What starts as a team-building effort quickly turns into a battle between two generations—one driver fighting to cement his legendary status, and the other eager to carve out his own name in the history books.

Since the release of the first F1 teaser trailer last summer, online chatter has been growing, with some voices claiming this film might be this year’s Top Gun: Maverick. Meaning? A massive blockbuster led by an established Hollywood star, playing a veteran who proves he’s still got what it takes to outrun—and outclass—the younger generation.

And, to be fair, the similarities are definitely there. After all, it’s directed by Joseph Kosinski, the same filmmaker who helmed Maverick. And it’s got those same elements of speed, adrenaline, and high-stakes competition. And let’s be real—we’re sure Brad Pitt is probably hoping for those same box office results.

But will it stick the landing? Well, we’ll have to wait until F1 blazes into theaters this summer, on June 27th, to find out.

Because if Top Gun: Maverick proved anything, it’s that audiences love a good comeback story—especially with a charismatic lead who knows how to command the screen.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

Dubbed “the greatest that never was,” Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was FORMULA 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, he’s a nomadic racer-for-hire when he’s approached by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), owner of a struggling FORMULA 1 team that is on the verge of collapse. Ruben convinces Sonny to come back to FORMULA 1 for one last shot at saving the team and being the best in the world. He’ll drive alongside Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), the team's hotshot rookie intent on setting his own pace. But as the engines roar, Sonny’s past catches up with him and he finds that in FORMULA 1, your teammate is your fiercest competition—and the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone.