Jerry Bruckheimer reveals the secret behind the F1 film, the tension hidden between Mercedes and Red Bull.
Why were F1 officials afraid?
Famous producer Jerry Bruckheimer has made an interesting revelation.
As his film “F1: The Movie” is about to return to IMAX, he revealed that Formula One leaders initially feared the film would turn a real team into the villain!
F1 officials vetted the filmmakers thoroughly to ensure the film would not harm the sport’s reputation.
With ten teams, they were concerned that Red Bull might be portrayed as the adversary, especially since Mercedes provided the car for the film and Lewis Hamilton was the producing partner.
How was trust built?
Director Joseph Kosinski created a visual reel showing the film’s fictional car in a real F1 race.
It was thoroughly vetted by drivers and team principals.
After reading the script, Formula One was convinced that the focus of the story was the conflict between the film’s two fictional drivers, not a real team.
And that was it – all their worries were gone!
The journey from NASCAR to F1
Jerry Bruckheimer compared working with NASCAR (on the 1990 film ‘Days of Thunder’) and Formula One.
He explained that both organisations gave the filmmakers access to tracks, drivers and behind-the-scenes footage.
Once trust was built, all ten F1 teams and their drivers embraced the film.
They praised its authenticity and the publicity it brought to the sport.
Working with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise
This was Bruckheimer’s first collaboration with Brad Pitt.
He compared Brad to Tom Cruise and explained that both stars took a keen interest in the project, being involved in everything from script development to casting decisions to ensure the film’s quality.
Bruckheimer compared them to actors who “just want to go home”, and praised Brad and Tom for staying “as long as it takes” to make a great film.
F1: The Movie is not just a movie, it is a beautiful blend of two different worlds – Hollywood and Formula One – that have come together to create something amazing!