F1, a summer blockbuster movie on the art of the F1 racing world with a mix of comedy, action, and romance, is considered a massive box office success. The movie has surpassed $600 million globally which makes it one of the most successful original films in the last decade.

The movie focuses around an old Formula 1 racer, Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), who faced a tragic accident that nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, the owner of a struggling Formula 1 racing team and Sonny’s old friend convinces him to return to F1 and become “the best in the world.” Working and driving alongside the team’s hotshot rookie, Sonny learns that a comeback and success are things he can’t achieve alone.

The adrenaline pumping movie is directed by Joseph Kosinski, known for Top Gun: Maverick. F1 is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the producer of Top Gun and the 1990 NASCAR film Days of Thunder. With this lineup, many expected F1 to be the “Top Gun on wheels” and in actuality, the movies correlate. According to The Truth about Cars, like Top Gun: Maverick, F1 has a similar storyline. Both plots involve an aging, talented mentor with self- destructive tendencies working with a cocky, young talent who is in need of learning and preventing the same tendencies in order to maximize their potential. However, others argue that the plot is actually an old talent teaching the young talent to work harder and the young talent teaching the old talent modern technology.

Even with the similarity to other movies, F1 is still its own blockbuster. The racing scenes and the soundtrack are notable. The movie captures racing realism even throughout the dialogue, with the basic racing terminology being utilized correctly. Stated by Rolling Stone, reviews for the soundtrack are “overwhelmingly positive” and viewers have praised Hans Zimmer’s, the film composer for F1, ability to capture the sport’s drama and international appeal. With artists like Tate McRae, Rosie, Chris Stapleton, and more, the movie is deemed a “thrilling listen.”

Just as F1 encompasses the racing world, the movie itself is like a race. Spanning 2 hours and 35 minutes, the movie is said to fly by, and according to Hindustan Times, its performance has been named the biggest hit of the summer ‘25.