F1: Sonny’s mad love for racing, and how APXGP outsmarted giants like Mercedes and Ferrari

In F1, what roars louder than the engines is the stubborn love for speed.

The movie follows Sonny Hayes (played by Brad Pitt). He is a former Formula One star whose days of glory crashed and burned long ago, along with his bank account. Gambling and heartbreak make for a dangerous pit stop. The man lost money and his marriage. He ended up living out of a van as he chased small-time races.

But even rock bottom doesn’t kill passion. When the struggling APXGP team owner, Ruben, his ex-teammate, comes calling, desperate to keep his team and shake off their underdog tag in a world ruled by giants like Mercedes and Ferrari, Sonny sees a chance.

F1 is a brutal, high-speed playground ruled by big names like Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren. These are the billion-dollar teams and the global superstars who own the world of racing.

But F1, the movie, throws us into the world of Sonny Hayes. And that makes us believe that sometimes, all you need is mad passion, street smarts, and the utter lack of willingness to back down no matter what.

F1: Sonny Hayes is the fallen star who still knows how to steal the show

Brad Pitt in F1 (Image via Apple Studios)

Sonny Hayes is one of the best racers Ruben has ever come across. And he believes he should show the world that he is number one. A man who went wheel-to-wheel with the likes of Schumacher and Senna.

But glory fades fast when bad choices follow. Years after a terrible accident and a losing battle with gambling, Sonny finds himself doing small-time races, scraping by. But legends don’t disappear.

His grand entrance at Daytona is where the movie begins. Dust, engines, and Whole Lotta Love blasting in the background. Sonny looks every bit the rebel. Then we see him with a rucksack in hand, finally giving Ruben what he wanted, after flying first class to join APXGP. He is there to help the underdog team go head-to-head with the giants, Mercedes, Ferrari, and the rest of the F1 elite.

The APXGP crew includes tech engineer Kate, team principal, and Sonny's hotshot young teammate Joshua, who's not buying the “fallen legend” narrative in the beginning. He even calls Sonny “80 years old” in front of his mum. But Sonny couldn’t care less.

Despite a medical history that once threatened paralysis after his brutal F1 crash, despite his angry outbursts and near disaster on track, Sonny proves he’s still got it. He races with heart, lets Joshua win it for the team when it counts, and during the final race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he doesn’t back down.

In the final race, a red flag moment involving Sonny and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc gives APXGP the boost they need. They didn't qualify the previous day, so they used their new tyres for the remaining three laps, which is an advantage for the two drivers of APXGP racing against the big dogs, Hamilton and Leclerc.

Hamilton gives a tough fight by attacking Joshua, who is helped by Sonny to get to P1 (the first position). But, as Hamilton's and Joshua's cars collide, Sonny is clear to win the race.

Sonny 'flies' across the finish line, just like he told Kate. APXGP defeats legends like Hamilton and Leclerc, snatching their F1 win.

But for Sonny, the champagne and the glistening trophy don't matter. He doesn't even hold the latter. Before the afterparty’s even done, he’s off to Baja to trade asphalt for sand dunes. He wants to chase speed.

That's what Sonny wants in F1. He’s a man, completely, almost recklessly, obsessed with being behind the wheel. Even if it meant driving as a New York taxi driver or an off-beat Baja racer.