Damson Idris Trains Like a Pro for New 'F1' Movie with Brad Pitt

Damson Idris is taking his career into new territory with F1, an upcoming racing drama co-starring Brad Pitt and directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski. In a recent interview with GQ, Idris shared that he and Pitt trained to drive real Formula One cars. “You and Brad are gonna be driving for real,” Kosinski told him. “I had to put on my best poker face,” Idris said.

Filming took place on real tracks including Silverstone and Yas Marina, with Idris doing up to 30 laps a day. He recalled spinning out at Circuit of the Americas: “I was like this close to hitting the wall.”

With a reported $300 million budget and input from Lewis Hamilton, F1 is one of Idris’ biggest projects to date. Reflecting on the opportunity, he told GQ, “I’m ready to be a leader, I’m ready to inspire.”

Idris is currently in South Africa filming Children of Blood and Bone. F1 will hit cinemas globally on June 25, 2025, and arrive in U.S. and Canadian theatres on June 27—just ahead of the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix.