The F1 Movie: Top Gun Maverick with cars.

I finally had the chance to see what was probably my most anticipated film of the year: F1 The Movie.

Not only because I've considered myself a passionate fan of the sport for a couple of years now, but because the presence of Joseph Kosinski in the director's chair (who shined a couple of years ago with Top Gun Maverick), coupled with a budget large enough to almost guarantee box office failure, all of this sounded like the perfect recipe for the blockbuster of the year, at least for those of us who follow the world of motorsports closely.

Even more interesting was the fact that the FIA ​​itself seemed partially involved in the project, or at least willing to collaborate. Therefore, it was common to see the film's fictional team (APEX GP) making appearances at practice sessions in recent seasons, mingling with the real teams to give the film a touch of authenticity—something strange, but appreciated.

And while I could spend hours criticizing how F1 The Movie oversimplified several of the most technical and interesting aspects of any Grand Prix (I was left wanting to see a qualifying round), I'm glad to know that at least it made for an entertaining, formulaic but effective story.

Set in the second half of the 2023 season (something that can be intuited by the liveries and the presence of Alpha Tauri on the grid, currently known as Racing Bulls), F1 The Movie follows a Formula 1 team desperate to reach the top. Therefore, the team leader (played by Javier Bardem) decides to seek out his former teammate Sony Hayes (played by Brad Pitt) to help him start winning races, accompanying the young hopeful Joshua Pierce, a young man with great potential but lacking the necessary experience.

Like Maverick, The F1 Movie presents itself as an antithesis to the concept of the passing of the torch story, demonstrating the value of the old guard and contrasting its philosophy with that of the new generations.

Ironically, it doesn't have much to say about Formula 1 as a sport, but the way it's executed feels respectful enough that even the most bitter fans will find something of value in it, whether because it perfectly captured the adrenaline rush of a Grand Prix, or because there's something strangely nostalgic about being able to relive the 2023 season through the eyes of a fictional team.

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For those who follow the sport closely, there are a number of welcome cameos (from the drivers themselves, obviously, to team leaders, reporters, and major figures in motorsport), and it's commendable that in most cases they serve as a fun nod that doesn't distract too much from the main experience.

I can't stop thinking about the huge number of new fans this movie is going to garner, and I think that was the point of it all.

This score was taken from my Letterboxd account.