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Max Verstappen starred in the F1 movie last year, flipping off Brad Pitt
A sports journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023 shared a surprising anecdote about Max Verstappen’s reaction to the F1 movie. Despite being a four-time F1 world champion, Verstappen was unaware that he had a role in the film, which featured Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and Javier Bardem and became a huge hit among fans.
The production crew filmed scenes at real-life race weekends during the 2023 and 2024 F1 seasons, with some on-track battles involving substituting the cars with Pitt’s fictional APX GP car. One memorable moment saw Verstappen’s character putting up his middle finger to Pitt’s character during a race at the Italian Grand Prix.
During a live stream with friends, Verstappen expressed confusion when his cameo was mentioned, revealing he had never seen the movie. Despite the film’s success at the box office, earning over $545 million globally, it received mixed reviews for its storylines and representation of females, including criticism from F1 drivers like Carlos Sainz.
The movie’s depiction of a 60-year-old character returning to F1 and the romantic subplot involving the only significant female character were among the reasons fans and pundits found fault with the film. It set a record for Apple Studios as their highest-grossing theatrical release but faced backlash over these issues.
