F1 (2025) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Sonny Hayes is a former Formula One prodigy played by Brad Pitt, whose promising career ended after a devastating crash in 1993. He spent decades afterward working as a racer-for-hire, carrying deep guilt and a lingering need to prove himself. In F1, he comes out of retirement to drive for a struggling team, where he must reconcile his raw talent with modern racing technology and the personal demons that have haunted him since his accident.

• sonny hayes
• brad pitt
• protagonist
• retired racer
• formula one

F1 travels across a slate of real-world Formula One circuits and racing landmarks. The story is anchored at iconic Grand Prix venues including the British, Hungarian, Italian, Belgian, and Las Vegas circuits, while Abu Dhabi hosts the high-stakes season finale and Daytona represents the world of legendary endurance racing Sonny once inhabited. This international setting immerses viewers in the global, high-pressure culture of modern Formula One.

• f1 filming locations
• abu dhabi
• daytona
• las vegas
• grand prix circuits

Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris, is the ambitious rookie driver assigned to the APXGP team alongside Sonny Hayes. He starts the story as a talented but self-centered competitor who clashes with Sonny's old-school approach. Over the course of F1, his rivalry with Sonny evolves into a mentorship that teaches him humility, teamwork, and what it truly means to race at the elite level.

• joshua pearce
• damson idris
• rookie driver
• apxgp
• rival

F1 is primarily set in the modern era of Formula One, with present-day technology, team structures, and race strategy shaping the story. The timeline stretches back to 1993, the year of Sonny Hayes' career-ending crash, which is used as a recurring flashback anchor that explains his psychology decades later. The contrast between 1990s racing and today's high-tech F1 is central to Sonny's struggle to adapt.

• f1 time period
• modern formula one
• 1993 crash
• sonny hayes backstory

The central theme of F1 is redemption, embodied in Sonny Hayes' attempt to reclaim a greatness he lost in a 1993 crash. The story frames his return to Formula One as a chance to confront decades of guilt, fear, and self-doubt rather than simply chase another trophy. By pairing him with a younger driver and a failing team, the film suggests that second chances are most meaningful when they transform who you are, not just what you win.

• redemption
• sonny hayes
• second chances
• theme
• f1 meaning

Sonny Hayes and Joshua Pearce begin F1 as reluctant teammates whose clashing styles mirror their generational gap: Sonny races on instinct while Joshua relies on data and modern training. Their rivalry forces Sonny to confront that he cannot drive the way he did in 1993, while Joshua learns that raw talent means nothing without humility and trust. By the end of the film, their bond becomes a mentorship built on mutual respect rather than competition.

• sonny joshua relationship
• mentor rivalry
• teamwork
• formula one duo

F1 is about a legendary but troubled driver, Sonny Hayes, who is pulled out of retirement to lead the underdog APXGP team through a brutal Formula One season. While chasing one final shot at greatness, he must mentor a cocky rookie, earn the trust of his technical director, and outpace rivals willing to bend the rules. At its core, the film is about whether a man defined by his worst moment can still become something more.

• f1 plot summary
• sonny hayes
• apxgp
• racing movie
• formula one story

Ruben Cervantes, played by Javier Bardem, is the owner of the APXGP Formula One team and a former teammate of Sonny Hayes from his early racing days. He is a passionate, high-stakes leader who gambles the team's financial survival on bringing Sonny back into the sport. His belief in Sonny's potential drives much of the film's central conflict and gives the story its emotional anchor.

• ruben cervantes
• javier bardem
• apxgp owner
• team principal

Kate McKenna, played by Kerry Condon, is the sharp, ambitious technical director of APXGP and one of the few women leading strategy in the Formula One paddock. She is responsible for translating Sonny's driving instincts into data-driven race calls and engineering decisions. Her professional partnership with Sonny gradually becomes a personal connection, and she represents the modern, analytical side of F1 that Sonny initially resists.

• kate mckenna
• kerry condon
• technical director
• apxgp
• formula one engineer

F1 argues that even the most talented individual driver cannot win in modern Formula One without a unified team behind him. Sonny begins the story as a lone wolf who trusts only himself, while Joshua relies on data over intuition, and their friction threatens to sink APXGP. The film shows that breakthroughs come when drivers, engineers, and leadership communicate honestly, turning a collection of brilliant individuals into a championship contender.

• teamwork
• team dynamics
• collaboration
• apxgp
• formula one team

Risk is the engine of F1's drama, because every split-second decision at 200 mph carries the possibility of glory or catastrophe. Sonny's reckless instincts, rooted in his 1990s racing style and unresolved trauma, repeatedly threaten the team's safety, finances, and championship hopes. The film draws a deliberate line between ambition and recklessness, suggesting that greatness only matters when it does not destroy the people around you.

• risk
• recklessness
• consequence
• sonny hayes
• racing danger

APXGP is the fictional underdog Formula One team at the center of F1, owned by Ruben Cervantes and led on the technical side by Kate McKenna. The team is struggling financially and competitively when the story begins, which is why Cervantes gambles on recruiting the aging Sonny Hayes to drive alongside rookie Joshua Pearce. APXGP functions as the film's emotional backbone, a place where broken and brilliant people must come together to survive a brutal season.

• apxgp
• fictional f1 team
• ruben cervantes
• formula one team