'F1 The Movie': How Joseph Kosinski used real cars, real tracks and Brad Pitt's 'old-school movie star' charm

Audiences were thrust into the exhilarating world of racing when F1 The Movie landed in theatres earlier this year. Now the film, directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem and Kerry Condon, is available to stream at home on Apple TV+.

Famed driver Lewis Hamilton, who's also a producer on the film, gave F1 his seal of approval, calling it "the most authentic racing film you will ever experience." And with that came immersive and technically impressive filmmaking from Kosinski, achieving racing shots that we've never seen before, resulting in a movie that makes you feel like you're right on the track.

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As Kosinski really leaned into practical shots for the film, he stressed that "nothing replaces an in-camera experience."

"We can feel it in our gut when something is shot for real, versus created in the computer, or created with AI," Kosinski said. "It's something that, even going back to Tron: Legacy, my first film, an incredible amount of that movie was shot practically. Those were mostly real sets and real suits, and we built as much as we could, even for that film that took place in the digital world. ... Top Gun: Maverick, we shot in real F/A-18 jets with actors in the backseat."

"It's something we pushed even further here with F1. ... This is the only way I'm interested in making films, is to shoot them in-camera like this, and it's something I'll continue to push for. Obviously, CGI and AI are amazing tools that we can use, but I think you always need to start with real photography. The audience will appreciate it. It resonates more emotionally."

Additionally, Kosinski didn't just commit to authentic and thrilling racing scenes, but amid the technical challenges, the director also gave Formula One fans something they love about watching each season of the sport: experiencing the personalities of each race track.

"It is a global sport, and every track has its own vibe, whether it's the opening ceremonies, or the music or the setting, they're all so different," Kosinski said. "So I definitely wanted to capture as much of that as I could."

"We travelled around the world with the sport shooting at all these real tracks. ... They all had their own unique weather and challenges, Vegas probably being the most challenging of them all, but it was important to me. ... We try to reflect that in the music as well by bringing artists from all around the world to do the soundtrack. Everyone asks me if I have a favourite track. I mean, I think Spa is really beautiful out in the Belgian forest. Vegas was very challenging. Abu Dhabi, obviously, it's where the season ends, was kind of the most memorable. It looks like nothing else."

'You've got to be able to bring a level of escape and spectacle'

In Kosinski's filmmaking, the technical elements are exciting and something he consistently pushes boundaries with in terms of what's achievable on screen. But he has also recognized that without an impactful story and an emotional connection that audiences have with characters, they won't engage with the film. And while F1 is now available to stream, Kosinski always thinks about what will make someone actually leave their home and go to a movie theatre.

"Jerry Bruckheimer always says, 'If it's not on the page, it's not on the stage.' So you need that story to work in script format," Kosinski said. "It needs to grab you on the page. And a good rule I've learned is, if I sit down to read a script for the first time and I make it all the way to the end without stopping, that's a great start."

"You've got to have the emotion and the character and the journey on the page, and then as a director, translating that into a story for the screen, you've got to be able to bring a level of escape and spectacle to it that gets people out of their homes, to the theatre. Because that's harder than ever now. ... We have so many opportunities for entertainment, either in the palm of our hand or in our living room. To get out and go to a theatre, you need to have something really, really special, and that's what I'm always thinking about. And with my crew, looking for ways to show an audience something they haven't seen before. So you need a great story, and then you need a world that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. And when you can bring those two things together, you have a shot at making something special."

Brad Pitt is an 'old-school movie star'

Speaking about working with Brad Pitt, Kosinski shared that F1 was a story that the actor really connected to and felt passionately about creating.

"Brad is someone I've always admired and always wanted to work with. We got close a couple of times over the years, but this is the first film that we actually got a chance to complete together," Kosinski said. "He's kind of an old-school movie star. He was interested in playing a character that, not necessarily changes as we go through this story, but changes the people around him. And I think that is a bit more of a '70s style character. ... The Paul Newman, Robert Redford kind of style character."

"Brad's an incredible actor, but he's also a great producer. [He] knows everything about the filmmaking process. Had really incredible instincts for who this character was, and I think he identified with Sonny, as well, on a personal level, and I think that comes across in the performance. He really loved playing this character. He was sad on the last day of shooting when he had to get out of the car for the last time. So I think he misses driving and would love to get back in the seat, if we can come up with a story worthy of it."

With F1 nominated for two Golden Globes and having received seven Critics Choice Awards nominations, Kosinski highlighted that while he doesn't make films to win awards, it feels "gratifying" that the work of the entire team behind the film is being recognized.