'F1' Movie Star Damson Idris Describes the “Craziest Spin of My Life” at Circuit of the Americas

Movie star Damson Idris stars in the film "F1," scheduled for release on June 27, 2025, through Apple TV+. The young actor experienced some extreme on-track moments while filming the movie.

The film involved significant collaboration with Formula 1 and the FIA, enabling the actors to drive cars on the track and even recreate racing moments during F1 race weekends.

As the movie's release approached, Idris reminisced about one of the wildest moments he experienced during filming.

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“ We got to drive on all the racetracks. We got to train on so many of them too. Uh, my favorite is Austin, Texas," Idris said at an IWC event at Goodwood Members' Meeting.

"I had the craziest spin of my life there, but it was exhilarating. And as I came out, everyone was like, now you're a race car driver."

Experience the innovation. #F1Movie - only in theaters June 2025. #BahrainGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/XieyIhi9Qc
— F1 Movie (@F1Movie) April 9, 2025

"Um, also love Silverstone, of course, but just the crowd and the people that that bring that, that bring it out.”

The movie follows Sonny Hayes, portrayed by Brad Pitt, who experienced a major crash that forced him to retire from F1. When an F1 team owner asks Hayes to come out of retirement, he returns to mentor rookie prodigy Josh Pearce, played by Idris.

The movie was penned by Ehren Kruger, who also wrote Top Gun: Maverick, and was directed by Joseph Kosinski.

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Brad Pitt also stars in the film and has tested several single-seater cars at various tracks.

Before the filming of the movie even began, Pitt and Idris were able to test Formula 3 and Formula 2 cars. The filming started at the 2023 British Grand Prix, where Pitt drove an F2 car with an F1 aerodynamic package added to the vehicle.

The filmmakers were also able to film at the Hungaroring, Spa, Monza, Zandvoort, Suzuka, Yas Marina, the Las Vegas Strip, and the Mexican Grand Prix.

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The movie is not based on a real driver; instead, it focuses on an original story inspired by Netflix's Drive to Survive.

Experience the making of #F1Movie every race week. Only in theaters June 2025. #F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/aAdKdOoBLq
— F1 Movie (@F1Movie) March 17, 2025

“I found it was a unique sport where your own teammate is in many ways your greatest competition,” he said.

“The first season (of ‘Drive’) focused on the last-place teams, the underdogs."

"So I thought there was an interesting story to be told about the underdogs not trying to win a championship but even just one race against the titans of the sport.”

For more F1 news, head over to F1 on SI.