Aging former Formula One (F1) prodigy Sonny Hayes has spent the last three decades navigating his life as a racer-for-hire, ever since a devastating crash at the 1993 Spanish Grand Prix terminated his once-promising career. Despite the setback, Sonny's journey takes a turn when he secures a victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona, leading to a reunion with his former teammate, Rubén Cervantes, who now owns the struggling APXGP F1 team. Rubén makes a heartfelt appeal, revealing that the team's future hinges on winning one of the remaining nine Grands Prix of the season; otherwise, investors are poised to sell the team. After some contemplation, Sonny agrees, motivated by Rubén's assertion that a win would validate him as the "best in the world."
Upon joining the team, Sonny meets a diverse group of individuals, including the ambitious rookie Joshua Pearce and sharp-minded technical director Kate McKenna. The dynamics within the team are tense, especially since Joshua feels the pressure of APXGP’s potential failure impacting his career trajectory. As Sonny grapples with the complexities of modern F1 machinery, he quickly analyzes the shortcomings of their cars. His suggestion to enhance the aerodynamics aims to equalize the speed disadvantage they face on the track.
The rivalries within the team grow evident during the British Grand Prix, where Sonny and Joshua’s lack of teamwork results in their simultaneous crashes. Amid the struggles, Sonny cleverly manipulates the rules to bring about safety car periods at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which ultimately helps Joshua secure APXGP's first top-ten finish. During a rain-affected Italian Grand Prix, Sonny claws for victory by advising Joshua to stick to slick tires, capturing swift momentum. However, Joshua's impatience leads to a catastrophic mistake where he disregards Sonny's instructions and crashes, resulting in significant injuries that sidelined him for three races.
An overconfident Joshua returns for the Belgian Grand Prix, where he recklessly forces Sonny into a subsequent crash, leading to increasing tension between the two drivers. To ease the staff's concerns, Kate organizes a poker night revealing similarities between Sonny and Joshua's pasts. Through this experience, Sonny and Kate find a closer connection, culminating in a night spent together. During a vulnerable moment, Sonny shares with her that he races to recapture fleeting feelings of invincibility.
The stakes rise when an anonymous tip alleging illegal upgrades forces the APXGP team to revert the cars to their original state, putting them at a greater disadvantage. Feeling the pressure—compounded by regrets over skipping his traditional pre-race ritual—Sonny drives recklessly during the Las Vegas Grand Prix resulting in yet another crash. While in recovery, Rubén discovers that Sonny’s past injuries rendered him medically unfit to race, leading to his dismissal for health risks. Meanwhile, APXGP board member Peter Banning admits he orchestrated Sonny’s signing and the tip-off to undermine the team, offering a buyout to facilitate its failure.
As circumstances shift, Joshua begins to embrace Sonny’s racing methods, recognizes his past faults, and enters a renewal phase with the team. Meeting with Rubén, Sonny manages to keep his deteriorating vision and headaches a secret while persuading him to reinstate him as a driver, just as regulatory bodies reinstate Kate’s modifications to the cars.
The climactic moment unfolds at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Joshua contending against formidable drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc for the lead. After a minor crash causes a red flag, APXGP seizes the opportunity to make crucial repairs before the final sprint to the finish. Eventually, Sonny makes a selfless move, sacrificing his podium chance to enable Joshua's lead. In a stunning turn of events, a collision between Hamilton and Joshua clears the path for Sonny to claim his first F1 victory, securing APXGP’s future in the racing world.
At the celebration, Joshua receives an offer from Mercedes but graciously turns it down. As the team revels in their success, Sonny quietly prepared to take his leave, exchanging fond goodbyes with Joshua and promising to see Kate soon. Later on, he finds himself ready to face a new challenge at the Baja 1000. When asked about his motivations for racing, Sonny chuckles, embodying a spirit of resilience and passion for the sport.
