Norris leads grid’s praise for Hollywood’s F1: ‘I was brilliant in it!’

After Wednesday night’s glitzy private screening in Monaco of the upcoming Hollywood epic ‘F1’ – or F1 The Movie for those keeping score – several drivers shared their first reactions to the film set to roar into cinemas on June 25.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski and backed by Jerry Bruckheimer and Lewis Hamilton, the film stars Brad Pitt as a veteran driver mentoring rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) at the fictional APXGP team.

The private screening left the paddock buzzing, with Lando Norris Charles Leclerc and Red Bull team boss Christian Horner all sharing their enthusiastic reactions to the film’s gripping storytelling and authentic flair.

Norris Steals the Show — In His Own Mind

Leave it to Lando Norris to inject some humour into the post-premiere debrief. The McLaren driver, who features in the film alongside the rest of the real-world grid, couldn’t help but shine a light on his own star turn.

“I was brilliant in it and that was the main thing!” Norris joked. But he also gave credit where it was due.

“It was a very good movie, a nice storyline – I don’t know how much I can and can’t say! It was a cool story, I think an inspirational story – it had a lot of different meanings behind it all.

“But a cool storyline and a lot of inspiration for young people coming into it.”

Leclerc Impressed by Cinematic Craft

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Monaco’s local hero, entered the screening with tempered expectations but left captivated.

“It was really cool,” he said. “Honestly I got into this cinema room and I didn’t know what to expect. We know this sport so much that you are trying to be over analytical on everything, and I had no idea what the storytelling would be.”

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Leclerc especially highlighted the film’s fresh perspective, adding: “The storytelling is really cool and the images are just incredible.

“The job that the team has done in order to have different angles that we don’t actually see on racetracks is really cool. I really enjoyed it.”

Horner Applauds Film’s Authenticity

Team bosses, known for their nitpicking, were equally impressed. For Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner, watching a dramatized version of Formula 1 was a unique experience to start with.

“I thought it was excellent,” he said. “We are probably the worst possible audience to watch that movie because you’re going to look and scrutinize every detail, every gear change, every pit stop, and it was very authentic.”

Horner also lauded the film’s integration of real F1 elements.

“The way they’ve interwoven it with the drivers and the teams, it’s a great film and definitely one to go and watch.”

But the Briton also sees the work as a gateway for new fans.

“[It’s] great to see Formula 1 engaging like this and it’s been well done. The research has been done, you can see that they’ve really taken the time to understand the sport and I think it’s a great way of actually explaining the sport to people that have not engaged with Formula 1 before.

“Watch this movie and it’s a great introduction to Formula 1.”

From seasoned race winners to the most scrutinizing strategists, F1: The Movie seems to have found the perfect formula – at least for its most demanding audience.

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