The Film took inspiration from ‘Crashgate’ scandal

Brad Pitt revealed that the plot of F1: The Film took inspiration from some notorious moments within the sport’s historical past – notably the 2008 ‘Crashgate’ scandal that rocked the Singapore Grand Prix and resulted in bans from Components 1 for a number of members of the Renault crew.

On the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. intentionally crashed with the intention to give a bonus to his teammate, Fernando Alonso. Workforce boss Flavio Briatore obtained a lifetime ban from F1, which has since been overturned, and technical director Pat Symonds was hit with a five-year ban.

The F1 film, which arrives in theatres globally this week, options a number of plot traces paying homage to the ‘Crashgate’ scandal, although there’s no point out of penalty factors, not to mention bans from the game. Pitt, who performs washed-up former driver Sonny Hayes, mentioned the inventive crew approached the venture with “a variety of love” for the game.

“We drew from a variety of [real-life events]. I imply, you’ll be able to most likely pinpoint them,” he mentioned on F1’s Past the Grid podcast. “You already know, this occurred in 1994 and this occurred in 2008,” he went on, seemingly alluding to the Renault scandal.

“We have been drawing from all of it. We appeared lots at – and I imply this respectfully – Fernando [Alonso],” he continued. “We have been a final place crew and we wanted to play with the principles. We would have liked to get proper to the sting of the principles to be aggressive in any method. And that’s the place Sonny begins out and is relatively disliked due to it.”

As followers will uncover when the film hits the massive display, Pitt’s character makes a number of intentional errors that set off a security automotive to learn his team-mate, Joshua Pearce, performed by Damson Idris. The filmmakers have made it clear that F1 followers, and eagle-eyed F1 journalists particularly, should not their target market.

Nonetheless, Motorsport.com requested the inventive crew about what they need potential new followers to remove from the movie, which arguably glamorises unsportsmanlike behaviour.

“That’s one thing we talked to Lewis [Hamilton] about – we by no means wished Sonny to cheat,” director Joe Kosinski mentioned. “We wished to seek out [the limit] for a way far you might push it to get proper to the sting [of cheating].” 

“Or, if there’s a driver who’s going to close the door on you in a nook, which driver has the best likelihood of doing that transfer?” Kosinski mentioned in reference to Kevin Magnussen, who will get the quick finish of the stick by making a few soiled strikes on-track.

“It was enjoyable to observe the film with the drivers in Monaco and have them whisper to one another saying, ‘I knew that was going to occur’.”

Kosinski reiterated that Hamilton, who served a co-producer on the movie, signed off on all racing scenes. “We by no means wished Sonny to cheat, so determining how we go all the way in which to the road with out crossing it was a giant problem,” he mentioned.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer echoed the sentiment, noting that Hamilton “stored them trustworthy” whereas creating the script.

“The authenticity is necessary, however the story can also be actually necessary – it’s a must to inform a compelling story that rivets an viewers,” the Hollywood heavyweight mentioned.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali additionally insisted that movie-goers with restricted motorsport data received’t take problem with the racing scenes.

“In case you take a look at it from the angle of the viewers that can watch the film, it is not going to be perceived like that,” he mentioned. “They are going to simply see racing motion and genuine combating.”