How 'F1" director Joseph Kosinski got Lewis Hamilton on board for the film

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“F1” director Joseph Kosinski has said that when he set out to make what he hopes will be the most authentic racing film ever made, he knew exactly who to reach out to: seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.

In a press statement, Kosinski — who also happens to be the same director behind "Top Gun: Maverick" —  revealed what his pitch was to Hamilton to become one of the film's producers.

"I happen to have the email of Lewis Hamilton,” Kosinski began.

“I sent an email to Lewis just saying, ‘I want to make a film in this world. I want it to be the most authentic racing film ever. Would you be interested in helping me to do that?’ And he said yes,” he recalled.

It was  as direct as it was ambitious.

As for Hamilton, it was the promise of authenticity that intrigued him.

“From the beginning, Joseph and Jerry Bruckheimer talked about how important the authenticity is not only for the new fans that we’ll gain from this movie, but for old fans, like myself,” the Ferrari driver said.

On Instagram, Hamilton looked back on the journey of the “F1” film by sharing a photo of himself with Brad Pitt at the Silverstone track from four years ago, marking the beginning of the film’s production. 

“We’ve poured everything we have into this film,” he wrote. “We gave it our all and we can’t wait for you to see it.”

In the “F1” film, Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a former racing prodigy whose career was cut short by a devastating crash in the '90s. Decades later, he's drawn back into the world of Formula 1 by his ex-teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), now the owner of a struggling team. Tasked with mentoring rising star Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), Sonny must confront his past and prove he still has what it takes.

Produced by Apple Original Films, “F1” was made in collaboration with ten Formula 1 teams, with some scenes shot during actual F1 races in 2024.

“F1” is now showing in Philippine cinemas.

— Hermes Joy Tunac/LA, GMA Integrated News