F1: Why does Sonny Hayes keep a card with him while racing? The director reveals the answer

Joseph Kosinski's F1 is set in the world of racing, where you cannot predict what will happen to you on the circuit. You may have the finest tech in the world or the sharpest strategies, but once you're out on the course, you can't know for sure what will happen to you. One moment, you're thrilled about overtaking someone, and the next moment, you might end up risking your life. Something similar happens to Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) in the movie. At a critical moment, he hits the curb, and his car gets engulfed in fire.

The drivers and their teams ensure they put their best foot forward, but they can't control everything, considering how quickly things turn around during those laps. So, considering the volatile nature of the sport, the drivers have developed some superstitions to keep their heads in the game. For a similar reason, Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) keeps a card with him while racing. It's his way of battling his qualms about the mortal stakes. During a conversation with GQ magazine, director Joseph Kosinski dug deeper into this topic. He said,

“I think it comes from doing something where you are putting your life at risk every day. Brad also has superstitions. He would only get into the car from the left side, and he had to put one shoe on first, and then the other.”

Yet, some viewers might wonder: Why cards, specifically? Does it have to do something with Sonny's past? Here's what Kosinski said about the character,

“His father was a gambler, and we liked that notion being part of his ritual as well."

Let's dive further into what Kosinski's comments mean and how they play into Sonny's larger arc that we see across the film.

Joseph Kosinski's F1 offers a complex portrait of Sonny Hayes.

Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in F1 the movie (Image via Warner Bros.)

In F1, Sonny Hayes is not just a highly skilled driver who can think on his feet and come up with some of the smartest ways to win the race. He is also a man trying to claim his worth. He is a classic underdog character who couldn't prove himself in his prime. So, when life gives him another chance, he decides to snatch it. It's his way of redemption and of getting past his years of shame and resentment of never reaching his full potential.

After an initially failed career, Sonny led a nomadic lifestyle. He was still racing, but not in Formula One. It all seemed like a pipe dream that he must abandon to move on with his life. During these years, he lost three marriages and became a gambling addict. His bad habits seemingly stemmed from his father, who was also a gambler. That's why he keeps the playing card in his pocket while racing.

The card represents his connection with his father. Much like gambling, racing can be a game of chance and luck, at least at times. That is why he harbors this superstition.

F1 The Movie is in cinemas now.