I just came back from watching the new Formula 1 movie, and honestly, I’ve got quite a few things to say.

First of all, it was dramatic. Really dramatic.

But in a good way.

It felt intense, immersive, exciting, and fast-paced.

I watched it with my girlfriend—she’s not an F1 fan at all—and even she loved it. So that tells you something.

It managed to capture the passion of racing, the adrenaline, and that sense of speed that all of us drivers seek and feel deep inside. That alone makes it worth watching.

Teamwork or Selfishness? Both?

One thing that stood out was how the movie portrayed teamwork—especially between the two drivers at Apx GP. Now, that part? I’m not totally on board with.

In real F1, drivers are usually out for themselves, there ain’t friends.

Sure, there’s some team strategy involved, but at the end of the day, it’s all about winning for yourself.

The movie tried to show these two drivers helping each other out, fighting to save the team.

But then it also showed them clashing and not always putting the team first. So it felt a bit confusing—are they a team or rivals? I couldn’t quite understand that part.

That said, it does reflect one truth about F1: it’s a mix of both.

There’s always tension between working together and going for your own result. And I guess the movie captured that in its own dramatic way. Well done for doing that.

The Cinematography? Wow.

I was seriously impressed by how the whole thing was shot. The scenes looked insane.

Especially that final race in Abu Dhabi—it felt real.

The podium, the cars, the crowd… I mean, how did they even film that?

What blew my mind was how realistic the Apex GP cars looked lined up next to the actual F1 cars. And the drivers?

They looked just like Verstappen, Leclerc, Norris… It was so spot on that I couldn’t even tell where reality ended and the CGI or acting began.

They really nailed that reality part.

The Money Talk Was Real

Another thing I liked: they didn’t shy away from showing how expensive F1 really is.

At one point, they said the team had lost $340 million in a season. That’s no joke.

It really shows the pressure teams are under to perform. You lose, you’re out.

So bringing in a veteran like Sonny Hayes to save the team? Makes total sense. And it gave the movie that underdog comeback story people love.

Old vs New

There was also this nice contrast between the experienced driver and the younger teammate.

It showed how F1 is not just about speed, but about experience, mindset, and knowing how to deal with pressure.

The tech side was also on point. All the scenes with engineers, development, and simulator work were actually pretty accurate.

And it might just inspire a few young kids to become engineers or drivers. Which is really great for the sport.

Too Much Product Placement?

Okay, here’s one thing I didn’t love—the amount of product placement. Rolex, Apple, Tommy Hilfiger, Expensify… it was everywhere.

I get it, they’re sponsors.

But sometimes it felt a bit too much, especially for those of us who are already deep into the sport.

Still, for someone watching F1 for the first time, it probably looked cool and polished.

Real Lessons for Young Racers

What I also appreciated was how the film showed the lifestyle of a proper racer which could be very inspiring and motivating.

Early morning runs, reaction training with tennis balls, using simulators to improve lap times, working closely with the technical team.

That’s the kind of stuff young drivers need to see. It’s not just about jumping in the kart and going fast. It’s about discipline, training, and mindset.

They didn’t overdo it, but they showed just enough to get the message across: if you want to reach the top, it’s a full-time job.

Final Thoughts

All in all, I really liked it. I might even watch it a second time.

It mixed real F1 elements with just the right amount of Hollywood drama.

Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but it was entertaining, exciting, and—most importantly—it showed people how much goes on behind the scenes in this sport.

And who knows? Maybe this movie will inspire the next wave of engineers, team principals, and world champions.

If you haven’t seen it yet, give it a shot. You don’t need to be a hardcore fan to enjoy it. But if you are… you’ll definitely have a few thoughts like I did.

— Alessio