BREAKING : Brad Pitt ‘Not Impressed’ After Lewis Hamilton’s Brutally Honest Comment at Dinner… Read more
Brad Pitt ‘Not Impressed’ After Lewis Hamilton’s Brutally Honest Comment at Dinner
A lighthearted moment between Lewis Hamilton and Brad Pitt reportedly turned a little awkward when the seven-time Formula 1 world champion made a brutally honest remark about Pitt’s suitability for an F1 driver role. According to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, the exchange took place during a private dinner at his home and left the Hollywood actor “less than impressed.”
The revelation came during Wolff’s recent appearance at the Autosport Business Exchange event in New York, where he shared behind-the-scenes stories about the making of the 2025 film F1 — the high-octane racing movie starring Pitt and produced with Hamilton’s creative input.
The film, directed by Top Gun: Maverick filmmaker Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, was released in June this year. It centres around Sonny Hayes, a 61-year-old former Formula 1 driver portrayed by Pitt, who makes a dramatic comeback to the grid with the fictional APX GP team. His younger team-mate, Joshua Pearce, is played by British-Nigerian actor Damson Idris.
Hamilton, who served as both a producer and an advisor on the project, was responsible for ensuring the movie stayed true to the authentic world of Formula 1. The British driver previously described his role as being the person to “call out any bull****” — stepping in whenever the script or action strayed too far from reality.
One such “authenticity check” apparently occurred during an intimate dinner at the Oxford home of Toto and Susie Wolff. The guest list included Hamilton, Pitt, director Kosinski, and legendary producer Bruckheimer. As Wolff recalled, the evening began on a surreal note when Brad Pitt arrived at their doorstep.
“We organised a dinner with Joe [Kosinski], Jerry Bruckheimer, Lewis, Brad Pitt, Susie and myself,” Wolff told attendees. “We were sitting down to eat, and suddenly the door opens — there’s Brad Pitt standing in the driveway saying, ‘Thank you for having me for dinner.’ That was quite surreal.”
However, the friendly gathering soon led to a humorous but slightly awkward moment. “The initial concept for the film had Brad’s character fighting for the Formula 1 world championship,” Wolff explained. “But then Lewis said, ‘That’s not going to work — you’re much too old to become a Formula 1 driver.’”
According to Wolff, Pitt didn’t take the comment too well. “Brad was not impressed by it,” he added. “He felt that he was still in his prime and could absolutely be credible as a Formula 1 driver.”
Nonetheless, the remark sparked productive changes to the script. The film’s creators reworked the story, turning Pitt’s character into a veteran racer making a comeback rather than a championship contender — a move Wolff described as “fantastic.”
“The way they adapted the script made his role believable,” Wolff continued. “He was credible as a veteran who had been there before, and the dynamic with the younger driver worked really well.”
The F1 movie premiered in Monaco during the Grand Prix weekend, drawing widespread praise for its authenticity and entertainment value. Wolff concluded by noting that both he and Hamilton were proud of the final product: “We loved how it turned out — it’s great entertainment, and the revenue it’s been generating has been phenomenal.”
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