The highly anticipated Formula 1 feature film starring Brad Pitt, working title ‘Apex,’ has encountered its share of hurdles, but its journey towards an eventual release remains on track. Despite rumors of setbacks and scrapped footage, the project is adapting and evolving.
The project faced a significant challenge due to the lengthy Hollywood writer’s strike, which halted filming and production earlier this year. Compounding this issue, The Sun reported that producers had to discard “tens of millions of pounds worth of footage” filmed at F1 tracks in 2023. The reason? A dispute over sponsorships. “Now that they have picked up work on it again, the sponsorships have all changed, which means they can no longer use a large amount of the scenes they had already shot,” the report explained.
An anonymous source described the situation as a “nightmare for Brad and the team,” citing the sponsorship changes rendering much of the footage defunct. However, Formula One Management has refuted these claims. A spokesperson for F1 told Metro newspaper, “The movie is still on schedule for its original 2025 release timeframe. All footage captured this year is relevant. The movie will ensure continuity with the 2023 F1 season in footage captured in 2024. There are no changes to any movie sponsors, and all are committed for the duration of the project.”
Lewis Hamilton, whose production company is involved in the film, confirmed the movie’s progress while speaking in Las Vegas. He acknowledged the challenges, including the cancellation of a major scene planned for Las Vegas, but reassured that it would take place in 2024. “It’s still going to be great, might cost a little bit more but I’m really confident in what Jerry (Bruckheimer) is going to produce,” he said.
