Max Verstappen admits little interest in Lewis Hamilton’s F1 film starring Brad Pitt

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

Max Verstappen insists he “does not need to see a film of his own sport” when asked about the upcoming Formula 1 movie starring Brad Pitt and produced by Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen’s 2021 title nemesis Hamilton is a producer and consultant for the highly-anticipated movie set in the world of F1, featuring Pitt and Damon Idris in leading roles and with Top Gun: Maverick director Joe Kosinski involved too.

The Apple Studios production crew, known around the paddock by their fictional 11^th team name of Apex GP, have been filming at races throughout this season, including at Silverstone in July.

Yet Verstappen, who refused to appear in season four of Netflix’s Drive to Survive due to concerns it exaggerated paddock narratives for dramatic effect, similarly has little interest in the new movie – though did praise Pitt for his previous roles.

“Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve and so on, those roles [with Pitt] stick with me,” Verstappen said, when asked recently by Dutch outlet Formule1.nl.

“I like films anyway and Brad Pitt is of course a super actor. Before the US Grand Prix in Austin, I saw a few clips from the new film. They were shown during the drivers’ meeting with an explanation of how they had filmed it all.

“Nice to see, but it doesn’t really interest me that much. I don’t need to see a film of my own sport. This film is of course a made-up story and everything is always over-dramatised, you have to love that.

“I personally don’t have that much with that.”

Seven-time world champion Hamilton gave an update last month regarding the development of the film following the Hollywood strikes, admitting the budget may have to be increased.

“In December, I’ll probably spend a day or so with Joe [Kosinksi] and Jerry [Bruckheimer, producer], just going over the script,” he said.

“And obviously now we can continue on with the writers and now Brad and Damson will be back in training, getting ready to get back in the car.

“We will continue on filming next year, so you’ll see them around more. And we’ve already got great footage with the demo drivers who have done a great job, as I think all the drivers got to see in Austin.

“We’ll keep pushing along, it’s still going to be great. Might cost a little bit more, but I’m really confident in what Jerry is going to produce.”

A release date or official title for the film is yet to be announced.

Hamilton finished third in this year’s championship standings though has now not won a race in more than two years. Verstappen, meanwhile, cruised to his third world title with a sensational 19 wins from 22 races.

The 2024 F1 season, featuring a record 24 races, starts on 2 March with the Bahrain Grand Prix.