Hollywood megastars, a legendary race track, and the high-octane world of Formula One collide in the upcoming Brad Pitt F1 movie. Behind the scenes of this ambitious project, producers Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinski, the team behind “Top Gun: Maverick,” embarked on a mission: capture genuine motorsport authenticity. Their journey brought them to the hallowed grounds of daytona International Speedway, aiming to film pivotal opening scenes during the prestigious Rolex 24 endurance race. What unfolded was a fascinating collaboration marked by unprecedented access, creative problem-solving, and a crucial moment where preserving the sport’s integrity meant saying “no” to Hollywood’s initial vision.
The filmmakers sought to establish Brad Pitt’s character, Sonny Hayes, as a former F1 driver competing in various global series after leaving Formula One. To portray Hayes’s continued skill, they planned to show him winning the famed Rolex 24 at Daytona (called the Daytona 24 in the movie). Securing filming rights at Daytona and with IMSA (International Motor Sports Association), both owned by the France family, was relatively smooth, granting extensive access and permission to use actual race footage. David Pettit, IMSA’s senior vice president of marketing, became a key liaison. His mandate? Help the production crew push the limits to get the shots they needed, sometimes bending rules for the sake of the cinematic narrative.
The production team, having already embedded themselves within the F1 paddock for other parts of the film, aimed for a similar deep immersion at Daytona. They set up camp at the track for several weeks in January 2024, utilizing a sprawling area of the infield—reportedly the size of two football fields—for their setup. Frank Kelleher, Daytona International Speedway President, was struck by the crew’s work ethic, noting their similarities to the dedicated motorsports community: highly educated, motivated individuals focused intensely on achieving perfection. They lived on the property, integrating seamlessly with the race operations.
While collaboration was high, not every Hollywood request could be immediately accommodated. Early on, producers floated the idea of their character simply winning the race within the film’s narrative framework. Pettit didn’t shut it down but explained the reality: if they wanted to genuinely pursue a win, they’d need to enter the race as a legitimate competitor, requiring significant funding and effort like any other team.
This led to an alternative proposal: dedicating a car solely for filming purposes during the actual Rolex 24 race. The idea was this car could periodically pit to swap filming equipment before rejoining the competition. However, IMSA officials drew a line here. To protect the race’s integrity and competitive nature, they had to decline the request for a dedicated filming vehicle actively participating in the race.
Instead, IMSA offered a pragmatic solution rooted in authentic race operations. They proposed partnering with a real team already entered in the Rolex 24. This allowed cameras to be mounted on a competitive car, capturing genuine on-track race footage. Wright Motorsports, a team campaigning a Porsche in the GTD class—the same type of car Pitt’s character would drive—was selected. Their car received a special livery mirroring the fictional “Chip Heart Racing” team from the movie, and their pit equipment and garage stall were similarly branded. This partnership facilitated many dynamic shots seen in the film’s opening sequences, though Brad Pitt himself was not driving during the live race laps captured by this car.
Despite the refusal for a dedicated filming car during the race itself, Daytona and IMSA made significant accommodations elsewhere. For instance, an evening practice session was extended by 30 minutes specifically to allow the crew to film a staged pit stop sequence. Crucially, this scene shows Pitt’s character driving out of the pit stall, with Pitt himself performing the driving duties. This careful staging captured a moment of genuine action starring the lead actor in a realistic setting. Other unique shots and stunt sequences that couldn’t happen during the live race were filmed during quieter periods, often in the dead of night, utilizing the track’s full potential.
The push for authenticity, a core tenet emphasized by the filmmakers, reached a peak regarding the victory lane celebration scene. The narrative required showing Sonny Hayes winning the “Daytona 24.” Producers wanted to film this celebratory moment on the Sunday morning of the Rolex 24 weekend, while the actual endurance race was still ongoing. Daytona President Frank Kelleher faced this request and, after listening to the producers detail their efforts to gain authenticity with F1 (like getting a shot of Hayes next to Lewis Hamilton on a real grid), delivered a firm “no.”
Kelleher explained his reasoning, turning the filmmakers’ own emphasis on authenticity back to them. He pointed out that Brad Pitt’s character races in the GTD class. This class is the last to arrive in victory lane after the race finishes. By the time a GTD winning car pulls in, the area is anything but clean. Kelleher painted a vivid picture: victory lane is typically covered in champagne and confetti, filled with sweaty photographers and crew members. Filming the winning scene early, with a pristine victory lane, would immediately look fake to knowledgeable motorsports fans.
Kelleher’s insightful counter-proposal was simple and effective: let the authentic overall race winners have their celebration first, and then roll in the movie car to film the staged scene. The filmmakers, after an initial moment of surprise and even laughter (thinking he was joking), recognized the undeniable logic. This approach ensured the backdrop of the victory lane was exactly as it would be after a real endurance race, adding layers of visual truth.
The success of this approach was evident after filming wrapped that Sunday. Brad Pitt himself sought out Frank Kelleher to personally thank him for the suggestion. This interaction underscored the deep collaboration and mutual respect that developed between the Hollywood production and the motorsports community, demonstrating that sometimes, saying “no” for the right reasons can ultimately lead to a more compelling and authentic final product.
Pirelli, F1’s tire supplier, also played a critical role in the film’s technical authenticity. Recognizing tires’ strategic importance, filmmakers involved Pirelli early on. They provided around a thousand tires for the custom-built APXGP cars used for filming. While standard F1 tires were used for static and pitlane shots for visual accuracy, Pirelli engineers determined that Formula Two (F2) tires were better suited for on-track filming speeds. F2 tires offered sufficient grip at the lower speeds the production cars could achieve and didn’t require tire blankets, simplifying logistics. A small team of Pirelli engineers was on set to manage these tires, ensuring correct setup. The film even integrated Pirelli’s graphics into strategy meetings and depicted tire strategy influencing race outcomes, further grounding the narrative in motorsport reality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the movie crew face challenges filming at Daytona?
The filmmakers, aiming for high authenticity, wanted to integrate their production into the real Rolex 24 endurance race at Daytona. Challenges arose when certain requests, such as running a dedicated filming car in the actual race or filming a staged victory lane scene during the live event before the real winners arrived, conflicted with the integrity and operational realities of hosting a competitive race. Motorsports officials prioritized preserving the authenticity of the real event.
Which real racing team was used for filming the Brad Pitt F1 movie scenes at Daytona?
To capture authentic race footage, the production partnered with Wright Motorsports, a real team competing in the GTD class of the Rolex 24. Wright Motorsports’ Porsche was given the fictional “Chip Heart Racing” livery from the movie, and their pit area was also branded accordingly, allowing the filmmakers to get realistic shots of the movie car’s presence within the race environment without needing a dedicated filming car participating in the competition.
How did the filmmakers make the Daytona racing scenes in the movie look authentic?
Filmmakers employed several techniques: using actual race footage from the Rolex 24, partnering with a real team (Wright Motorsports) to integrate the movie car’s branding into the live event for certain shots, staging specific sequences like a pit stop featuring Brad Pitt driving during an extended practice session, and filming other dynamic shots (like cars driving through fireworks smoke) during quiet periods or at night to maintain realism while allowing for cinematic control.
Ultimately, the collaborative effort at Daytona, balancing creative ambition with the demands of a live sporting event, underscores the film’s commitment to realism. By respecting the nuances of motorsport and finding innovative ways to capture key moments, even when it meant hearing “no” to initial ideas, the production team aimed to deliver a film that feels genuinely rooted in the racing world.
