Brad Pitt opens up on Lewis Hamilton track day in return after Abu Dhabi 2021

Brad Pitt opened up on the first discussions and track action with Lewis Hamilton regarding F1 the movie.

Pitt revealed that this took place shortly after the controversial conclusion to the 2021 season, one which saw Hamilton miss out on a record eighth World Championship as Max Verstappen took the crown in Abu Dhabi, with Pitt of the belief that his track day with Hamilton was his first time back at it since that season ended.

Brad Pitt hails ‘staggering’ Lewis Hamilton racing knowledge

The F1 movie hit theatre screens internationally on June 25, with a scheduled June 27 release date in the United States, a production unlike any racing movie seen before, as filming took place within the real-life Formula 1 action, as Apex Grand Prix – with its driver line-up of ‘Sonny Hayes’ and ‘Joshua Pearce’ – became an unofficial 11th team.

World-renowned actor Brad Pitt stepped into the Sonny Hayes character, the F1 movie benefiting from the input of Hamilton as a producer.

The winningest F1 driver of all time, Hamilton was approached by the film’s director, Joseph Kosinski. Pitt revealed that it took place in the immediate aftermath of the 2021 season, a time when Hamilton’s intention to continue in Formula 1 was being questioned.

And Pitt said the F1 movie crew could not have been happier with Hamilton’s response and collaboration.

Speaking about Hamilton on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Pitt said: “He is such a gentleman, so kind. Even his texts are always so kind and formal. There’s a formality even of respect and politeness.

“We drew on him a lot. I mean, we had 12 hour sessions in this very hotel in London, where we were just like, ‘What about this, what about that, what about this.’ And he would take us through, and it had to pass his smell test, you know, to keep us within the parameters of reality. Because we’re Hollywood, and we like a bit of drama.

“This is so smart of Joe, when he first came up with this idea to call Lewis and to get a seven-time World Champion on board to help us make the introductions and open up the doors and sell this idea.

“I mention that because that was just after the ’21 season, and at the same time with us, he was nothing but grace and business and taking us through racing.”

Alongside the backstage work, Hamilton also set about helping Pitt get up to the necessary speed to convincingly pull off the role of an F1 driver.

“The first time I was on the track was a little Porsche track south of LA, and he got in the car with me, and I’m like ‘alright bud, where we go!'”

Asked what Hamilton’s first bit of feedback was, Pitt added: “Nothing but kindness.

“I think they were actually testing me out. I didn’t know that at the time, but I think they were actually like, let’s see, can you keep it on the track.”

Pitt also got to experience laps of this circuit with Hamilton at the wheel, and Pitt understands this was Hamilton’s first time on the track post-2021 season.

“He was having a laugh,” Pitt revealed. “I think it was the first time he’d been back on the track since the ’21 season.

“And he was having a laugh. As much as he could scare me.

“We went off, we came out this carousel thing, which is this banked bit, and came off and into the gravel. I mean, the walls are right here, and he’s howling, having a great time.”

All you need to know about the F1 movie from PlanetF1.com

👉 Six things about the F1 movie that make it a must-see

👉 Brad Pitt F1 movie: Cast, release date, Lewis Hamilton involvement and more

Pitt was taken aback by Hamilton’s “staggering” racing knowledge which showed itself as he helped craft F1 the movie, stretching all the way to noticing a gear out of place, and reverberations on specific areas of tracks.

“I want to add one more thing about Lewis, because we found our ending in our film from this description, almost a spiritual description that Lewis describes, when everything is in place, and we just wouldn’t have our movie without him.

“I mean, this man’s race knowledge is staggering. The Apex car is built on an F2 and stretched and we have aero package for Mercedes. So we had to re-sound the gears for the final picture, to make it sound like F1.

“His knowledge is so spot on. He would go, ‘No, that’s fourth gear. You need to be in fifth gear here.’ On a particular corner, on a particular track, he would be going, ‘No, no, you know what, down the back straight there, there’s this reverb, it comes off the left wall. Add that into the left chant.’ Like, that’s just staggering, staggering.”

Hamilton is continuing his pursuit of that record eighth title, now as a Ferrari driver, though clinching it in F1 2025 does not appear to be on the cards. Hamilton is sixth in the standings and 119 points off leader Oscar Piastri after 10 rounds.

Read next: Brad Pitt reveals top speed after Lando Norris advice in McLaren F1 test