Brad Pitt’s producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, has called rumors that the movie’s $300 million production budget is “out of whack.” The fictitious APXGP Formula 1 team started competing in Grands Prix in 2023, bringing its own cars, hospitality, and pit garage with it. Production was halted due to a Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strike, and rumors circulated that the film’s $300 million budget—a sum often associated with blockbuster superhero movies—had ballooned to that extent.
Claims that the budget is significantly less than $300 million were refuted by Bruckheimer and F1 Director Joseph Kosinski.
For us, it’s going in the right direction, but it’s utterly out of whack by tens of millions of dollars, Bruckheimer told Deadline. The first thing that people don’t know is that we’re filming in rebates; England, a large portion of Europe, and Abu Dhabi are all destinations with rebates. Overall, the budget is decreased. Additionally, we’ve raised more money than some Formula 1 teams have through sponsorship for our car. Upon considering everything, the figure actually decreases significantly from what most people would assume.
“Let me just say that I’m used, on a lot of the movies I’ve worked on, to having them over-reported for whatever reason, but I’ve never had an experience where they were off by this much on a film,” said Kosinski, the director of the Oscar-winning Top Gun: Maverick. Where the figure originated is unknown to me.
As for the idea that the strikes prompted reshoots, Bruckheimer batted down that idea as well, adding, “We never re-shot anything, whatsoever.” It’s a misunderstanding, a rumor that got out of hand. “Oh no, after the strike we just concentrated on the cars and the driving [by the stunt drivers, not the actors].” To decrease costs, we reorganized, reduced personnel, and implemented all of these changes. Subsequently, we proceeded to play every song. The majority of the second unit’s work was completed.
One of the busiest weekends of the Formula 1 season saw the F1 production team embedded in the paddock at Silverstone for last weekend’s British Grand Prix. Stars Pitt and Damson Idris became fully immersed in the Formula 1 circus as they strolled through the paddock, joined the 20 drivers on the grid, and even filmed sequences in the media area following sessions. Production is already used to filming under pressure from the previous year and will continue to do so at several rounds this season.
The pressures of shooting scenes in a Formula 1 atmosphere were detailed by Kosinski. “A scene that we shot on the grid was at Silverstone last year,” Kosinski said. “I believe we shot a one- or one-and-a-half-page dialogue scene with three actors in around nine minutes. Like a pit stop, that is. In a way that you might not on a typical soundstage shoot day when you have ten hours to get it perfect, it really amps up the intensity and everyone is leaning forward.
With all the performers, you can already sense their adrenaline kicking in before the nine minutes even begin, and it shows in their performances. In anticipation of its June 25, 2025, worldwide theatrical debut, the F1 teaser trailer was aired last Sunday at the British Grand Prix. Apple Original Film F1, which is distributed globally by Warner Bros., also features Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Tobias Menzies, Sarah Niles, Kim Bodnia, and Samson Kayo in supporting roles.