- A fictional Formula 1 race team is embedded within the paddock at Silverstone this week.
- It's all part of an upcoming movie that stars Brad Pitt and Damson Idris as two Formula 1 racers.
- APX GP, which has its garage between Mercedes and Ferrari in the pit lane, also has own motorhome and pit wall.
There is an 11th team in the Formula 1 pit lane at Silverstone for this weekend's British Grand Prix.
No, Formula 1’s grid hasn’t suddenly expanded, but rather filming is getting underway on the new as-yet-untitled Apple Studios/Bruckheimer Films production, directed by Joe Kosinski, that stars Brad Pitt and Damson Idris as two Formula 1 racers.
A fictional team is embedded within the paddock at Silverstone, with its own pit garage, signage, personnel and a Formula 2 car with Formula 1 stylings, in order to carry out filming through the course of the grand prix weekend.
APX GP, which has its garage between Mercedes and Ferrari in the pit lane, also has own motorhome and pit wall, as the production crew behind Top Gun: Maverick attempt to showcase the world of Formula 1.
On-track filming is scheduled to take place at specific times during the weekend and there will be a presence at further Grands Prix throughout the rest of the year.
“I just saw Jerry (Bruckheimer) walking in and I haven’t been to see the garage yet but on the other side I was here a week or two before Austria watching Brad practice and it’s massively exciting to see it all coming together,” said Lewis Hamilton, who is consulting on the film. “To know that we’re finally starting to film this weekend, there’s nerves naturally because it’s something we’ve been working on for so long and we want everyone to love it and to really feel that we encapsulate what the essence of this sport is all about. So that’s our goal and hopefully we can do you proud.”
Hamilton added that Pitt has “a keen eye” for racing and that he was impressed by the actor’s ability when they carried out a track day in the U.S.
The film is the latest production in which Formula 1 is involved. Netflix’s Drive to Survive, which is currently filming its sixth season, propelled the championship into a more mainstream audience, while Deadline reported last month that a scripted TV series starring Felicity Jones is to center on a family-run Formula 1 team.
“I don’t know if this would have been possible 10-plus years ago when the old management was in place,” said Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.
“They perhaps wouldn’t have seen this as an important step in terms of the sport’s growth, but we’ve already seen the great work and impact of the Netflix show and I think this will take it to new heights beyond that. There’s so many people around the world that are so excited about this sport and wanting to know more, and the fact that we will have all of the original characters that are already on the grid, and Brad, is pretty cool.”
