One aspect of F1 still surprises director Joseph Kosinski, which speaks to the collaborative nature of the film’s production. F1 stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a veteran Formula One racer who is brought back into the high-speed sport by his old friend Ruben Cervantes. Helmed by Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski, the film enjoyed a close working relationship with the actual Formula One organization, which even led to the use of real cars and locations during production.

According to an interview Kosinski gave to GQ ahead of the film’s release, Formula One was initially concerned about the film’s plot. However, after learning from Kosinski that the conflicts of the film would be all character-driven instead of vilifying another real-life team, the league fully embraced the production. Even in light of this, Kosinski still can’t believe that Formula One allowed the film to be released with the тιтle F1, revealing his initial concerns that the racing league would refuse that request.

“I was actually surprised how open they were, and allowed us to even name the movie after the sport, which I thought would be impossible,” Kosinski explained during the interview. By going with the тιтle F1, the movie is firmly connected to the racing organization. Luckily, it seems that Formula One was very receptive to the eventual direction of F1, leading to the film getting the okay to run with Kosinski’s preferred тιтle.

What Kosinski’s Formula One Comments Say About F1

Formula One Has A Lot Of Confidence In F1

The F1 тιтle being so directly tied to the racing league, coupled with Kosinski’s surprise that they got away with calling the movie that, highlights how many levels of scrutiny the racing film had to go through during production. Formula One is a major global sport, so it makes sense that the league would be careful with how its brand was presented in the film.

According to Kosinski, Formula One’s only moments of interference came early in production, and they backed off after learning that the film’s primary conflict wouldn’t turn real-life Formula One racing teams into villains. This speaks to Formula One’s eventual faith in the portrayal of the league, which has already paid off in glowing reviews.

As such, F1 takes on the aura of something like Barbie or The LEGO Movie. All three films are named for specific IP and highlight the strengths of those brands for their parent companies, while still working as impressive stand-alone feature films. Formula One’s approval of F1 as a тιтle highlights their confidence in the finished product.

Our Take On F1’s тιтle

F1 Helps The Film Stand Out From Other Racing Movies

Formula One approving the F1 тιтle for the Brad Pitt film is quietly a big deal for the production. Formula One has always been seen as a particularly prestigious sport. If Formula One had any doubts about the film’s portrayal of the racing world, they likely would have required the producers to use a different тιтle.

Instead, Formula One has not only thrown its weight behind F1 but given the film its seal of approval. It’s an encouraging development for fans of the racing genre and the real-life sport, as it speaks to the level of authenticity baked into the production. F1 getting that тιтle speaks to the quality of the film and Formula One’s appreciation of it.

Source: GQ