LOS ANGELES, June 17 (UPI) -- F1, in theaters June 27, crafts a rousing Hollywood blockbuster out of Formula 1 racing. Though it contains all the requisite cliches, it does the job of showcasing visceral racing.
Brad Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver who retired after a crash. Now driving the midnight shift for a 24 hour Daytona race team, Sonny receives an offer from Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) to join his F1 team, APXGP. APXGP's star, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), doesn't appreciate a veteran with no wins stealing his spotlight.
The script by Ehren Kruger and director Joseph Kosinski sets up APXGP to be underdogs. The odds could not be more stacked against them.
Not only has APXGP never won an F1 race, but their opponents like Ferrari and Aston Martin already have the fastest vehicles. Since APXGP can't win with speed, Sonny devises other strategies.
He asks technical director Kate (Kerry Condon) to modify their cars for turning so they'll have the advantage when opponents have to slow down for turns. Sonny also manipulates the safety regulations of F1 to buy himself and Joshua time or extra pit stops.
