Top 5 movies you should watch before Brad Pitt's F1 release

Brad Pitt's sports action drama F1 is the talk of the town as the film takes us through the high-speed world of Formula 1 racing, blending thrilling action with an underdog story that promises both heart and horsepower. Starring Brad Pitt as a veteran driver making a surprising comeback, the film dives into the intensity, politics, and passion of the F1 circuit like never before.

As one of the first fictional films that will solely focus on the motor racing sport and its world of speed and excitement, Brad Pitt’s F1 is already generating major buzz among fans of adrenaline-fueled storytelling. To get your engines revving before its release, here are 5 must-watch racing films that will put you in pole position.

FORD v FERRARI, Rush, Senna, and 2 others to watch before Brad Pitt's F1 release

1) Rush

Written by Peter Morgan and directed by Ron Howard, Rush revolves around the infamous rivalry between Formula One drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. It formed a central moment in the sport's history, making it one of the biggest rivalries in its history, having a significant impact on both the drivers and their racing styles.

Chris Hemsworth stars as James Hunt and Daniel Bruhl stars as Niki Lauda as they both compete against each other fearlessly on the track. The film has been noted for it's portrayal of the tension between both the racing stars, with realistic racing sequences, true-to-life adaptations of the real life event and a stunning scoe from Hans Zimmer.

What sets Rush apart is its balance between character-driven drama and heart-pounding race sequences. It doesn’t just focus on the thrill of F1—it dives deep into the psyches of two men who couldn’t be more different: Hunt, the charismatic and impulsive playboy, and Lauda, the calculated and disciplined tactician.

The film's emotional core lies in its respect for both drivers. Despite their contrasting personalities, Rush shows how competition can foster mutual admiration. The climactic moments on and off the track highlight not just their battles but their growth, making it one of the most compelling sports dramas to date.

2) FORD v FERRARI

Another biographical sports drama unravels the complexities of the extreme sport for the screen while giving viewers an adrenaline-fillex experience of the thrills on the track while staying true to the real life events. Although FORD v FERRARI is not about F1, it's still a film that pretty much gives a background on the intensity of the sport and how team rivalries go on to take significant space on the track.

The film is a dramatic portrayal of the actual rivalry between Ferrari and Ford Motor Company, particularly their 1966 competition at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Following Ferrari's win, Ford brought in Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles to work on the Ford GT40 in an attempt to win the event. The plot centers on Ford's efforts to create a faster vehicle in order to compete with Ferrari, which leads to Ford's win at Le Mans.

3) Grand Prix

One of the oldest films in the genre continues to be one of the best films made about F1. Released in 1966, Grand Prix chronicles the lives of four F1 drivers: Jean-Pierre Sarti from Ferrari, Pete Aron from Jordan BRM, Scott Stoddard from Jordan BRM, and Nino Barlini from Ferrari. It was one of the oldest films that offered all the details on how the sport works and what the players go through on track.

The story powers through their struggles, triumphs, and moments of their lives as they drive through risky tracks and also pays close attention to their personal lives and the WAGs. To make it more authentic, Grand Prix even includes real-life racing footage and cameos from Formula One champions Phil Hill, Graham Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt, and Jack Brabham.

The film went on to become one of the most successful projects of 1966 and also took home three Academy Awards in the year after.

4) Senna

Asif Kapadia's 2010 documentary Senna tells the story of Brazilian motor racing champion Ayrton Senna's life and passing. From his 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix debut to his death in an accident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, Senna's Formula One racing career is the main focus of the movie's plot.

As one of the most important figures in the sport, the documentary details down on his life as one of McLaren's best drivers. The film also focuses on his rivalry with fellow driver Alain Prost, which ended up becoming one of the fiercest rivalries in the sport.

Senna is not exactly a standard documentary; instead, it focuses more on broadcast news and racetrack footage, voiceover narration, and home video snippets from the Senna family. It doesn't have conventional talking-head footage or formal commentary.

The film won 2 BAFTAS post release, and is widely considered to be one of the best documentaries made on a F1 driver.

5) Formula 1: Drive to Survive

Although not a film, Drive To Survive should be your go-to choice if you're trying to educate yourself on the sport. Spanning across seven seasons so far, the documentary/series on Netflix presents a top-notch behind-the-scenes look at the sport and it's racers, also focusing on the politics behind, their private lives, light hearted moments and everything that leads up to the big races.

It all started with Netflix being commissioned to a ten episode documentary-series giving an exclusive behind the scenes look at the 2018 Formula One World Championship. Ever since then, the series has continued and has claimed massive popularity among fans as it has become their go-to source for exclusive footage of the drivers and the teams.

What has caught the audience's eyes is that the documentary offers commentary on the sport even for rookies, which attracts more and more fans to the sport. Additionaly, it also explore the racers' lives in depth, with their childhood and their history and gives exclusive footage on their personal lives with families, hobbies and WAGs.

Brad Pitt's F1 is set to release on 27 June 2025.