James Vowles, the Williams team principal, has acknowledged that the production team behind the upcoming F1 movie made a payment to Williams for access to their wind tunnel facilities located in Grove. Several scenes for the film, which features Lewis Hamilton as a co-producer, were filmed using this high-tech environment to ensure authenticity.
F1 the Movie, set to premiere in theaters on June 27, 2025, is an American sports drama directed by Joseph Kosinski with a screenplay by Ehren Kruger. The movie stars Brad Pitt as a fictional APXGP driver, alongside Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, and Javier Bardem.
Confirming the wind tunnel collaboration, Vowles explained the challenges of accommodating filming at Williams’ technical facility:
“They approached us, because they could have done a [film] set from what I understood, but actually wanted to replicate or be in exactly the environment. “It’s quite difficult for us nowadays to effectively extract everything that we need to [for Williams’ work in the wind tunnel], stop our programs and bring them in.” —James Vowles, Williams Team Principal
He also emphasized the limited availability of wind tunnel time and the disruption caused, adding:
“There’s a limited number of [wind tunnel] ‘fan on’ time, so you can work around that. It is disruptive, but it was for a really important project. There was a payment, but we didn’t make any money out of it.”
Exclusive Premiere and Star-Studded Attendance in New York City
The film’s premiere was held on June 16 at the Radio City Music Hall in New York, drawing significant attention from both the film and motorsport communities. Alongside stars such as Lewis Hamilton and Brad Pitt, Williams’ driver Carlos Sainz also made a strong impression at the event, highlighting the blend of real-world Formula 1 figures and Hollywood talent involved in the project.
Lewis Hamilton’s Integral Role as Co-Producer on F1 the Movie
Lewis Hamilton played a crucial role throughout the development of the F1 movie, lending his expertise to ensure the sport’s portrayal remained as realistic as possible. Filming began in 2023 during the British Grand Prix and continued across notable circuits including the Hungaroring, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Moza Circuit, Zandvoort, Suzuka, Las Vegas, and Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit.
The seven-time world champion has spoken about the learning curve involved in transitioning into the role of co-producer, highlighting the mutual understanding required between filmmakers and the racing world. Reflecting on his experience, Hamilton said:
“Coming on board to this project as a producer has been such an incredible learning process for me, seeing what goes into making a feature film, and there’s been a lot of learning on the other side too as everyone has got to grips with Formula 1.” —Lewis Hamilton, Co-producer and F1 World Champion
What This Collaboration Means for Formula 1 and Fans
The involvement of Lewis Hamilton as co-producer and the participation of Williams in providing authentic racing environments lend significant credibility to F1 the Movie. The film’s detailed recreation of Formula 1 settings is expected to attract large crowds and appeal strongly to both motorsport enthusiasts and general moviegoers.
As the release date approaches, anticipation continues to build for a film that promises to blend high-speed drama with behind-the-scenes insight into the world of Formula 1, paving the way for a deeper connection between the sport and its global audience.
