F1 The Movie accurately depicts most of the elements of the real high-octane world of Formula One racing, and part of bringing it to life included using real F1 racers. The latest movie from Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski, F1 follows Brad Pitt’s washed-up racer Sonny Hayes, who is offered a spot on the primary Formula One circuit.
The movie sees Sonny revolutionize the strategy of the last-place APX racing team, which puts him at odds with both the existing team members and talented yet arrogant rookie driver Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris). In typical sports drama fashion, the natural unorthodox underdog tropes play out by the end of F1 the Movie, but in a thrilling racing environment.
The audience is often put right in the seat of an F1 car, and the incredible direction by Kosinski and excellent soundtrack make it an immersive experience, especially if you catch a premium format showtime. The cast of F1 famously did a lot of driving themselves, but there were still some moments that required professional drivers.
Their compeтιтion in the races was represented by the real F1 racing teams and drivers that comprise the current Formula One racing league. Eagle-eyed F1 fans undoubtedly picked out some of the more notable names, but we’ve compiled a list of all the racers, both past and present, who are credited in F1 the Movie.
25
Max Verstappen
The 27-Year-Old Drives For Red Bull Racing
The Dutch and Belgian racer is already a legend in the relatively young world of F1 racing. He is one of, if not the most recognizable names in the sport, despite being just 27 years old.
In his 10-year career, Verstappen has outright won 65 of the 220 Grand Prix races he’s participated in. He won an unprecedented four straight Formula One World Championships from 2021-2024. His talent is highlighted in the movie directly by Sonny Hayes as they go head-to-head in one of the earlier races.
24
Sergio Pérez
The 35-Year-Old Veteran Most Recently Drove For Red Bull Racing
The Mexican veteran of the F1 circuit raced from 2011 to 2024, winning six Grands Prix during his 14-year career. He finished as the runner-up in the Formula One World Championship 2023 season, behind only Max Verstappen. Pérez has not raced compeтιтively in 2025.
23
Charles Leclerc
The 27-Year-Old Drives For Scuderia Ferrari
Ferrari’s talented young compeтιтor is one of the more internationally famous names in Formula One, as he’s won eight Grands Prix across his eight-year career. He was runner-up to Max Verstappen in the Formula One World Championship in 2022, and has racked up 46 podiums (top-three finishes) across 157 Grand Prix entries.
22
Carlos Sainz Jr.
The 30-Year-Old Drives For Scuderia Ferrari
The Spanish veteran has racing in his blood, as he’s the of the two-time World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz. He’s won four Grands Prix across 216 entered races, along with 27 podiums, and he’s currently in the mix for the 2025 Formula One World Championship season.
21
George Russell
The 27-Year-Old Drives For Mercedes-AMG Petronas
Mercedes’ British veteran has won seven Grands Prix in his seven-year career, but Russell has been racing since early childhood. He got his start on four wheels with compeтιтive kart racing (or “karting”) in the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and was a mᴀssively successful junior circuit racer before breaking into Formula One.
20
Lewis Hamilton
The 40-Year-Old Drives For Mercedes-AMG Petronas
Perhaps the most famous driver in all of Formula One, Lewis Hamilton was actually a producer on F1 The Movie. Fittingly, the APX team faces off against Hamilton in the home stretch of the final race of the F1 season, and it’s Hamilton that Joshua spins out with at the movie’s climax.
One of the oldest drivers in Formula One, Hamilton holds a number of records when it comes to Formula One World Championships, including most wins (105), podiums (202) and world тιтles (seven, which ties him with the legendary Michael Schumacher). Upon his debut in 2007, Hamilton became the first black Formula One driver in history.
19
Valtteri Bottas
The 35-Year-Old Drives For Mercedes-AMG Petronas
The Finnish veteran debuted in 2013, and has amᴀssed 10 Grand Prix wins across his 12-year career. He finished as the World Championship runner-up in both 2019 and 2020, and has also accrued 67 podiums in 247 race entries. Bottas is currently a reserve driver for Mercedes in the 2025 season.
18
Pierre Gasly
The 29-Year-Old Drives For BWT Alpine
The French racing veteran has just one Grand Prix win and five podiums to his name in 163 races, but he has changed teams a number of times in his career in F1. He is currently with BWT Alpine for the 2025 season, jockeying for position in the middle of the pack.
17
Franco Colapinto
The 22-Year-Old Drives For BWT Alpine
One of the youngest drivers currently racing in F1, Argentinian-born Franco Colapinto has entered just 13 Grands Prix total in his young career. So far, his highest career finish is 8th, meaning he hasn’t yet captured a podium, although that’s unsurprising given how new to the circuit the talented young driver is.
16
Jack Doohan
The 22-Year-Old Drives For BWT Alpine
The young Australian compeтιтor first arrived in Formula One in 2023 as a reserve driver for BWT Alpine, his current team. While 2025 was technically his rookie year, he was moved back to a reserve role after some disappointing early results. He has only competed in seven total Grands Prix so far, with no wins or podiums.
