GOD SPEED

Brad Pitt, in London for F1: The Movie, praises Sir Lewis Hamilton, reflects on growing older and reveals why he needs to 'chill out'

- ADAM STONE

Looking chic in a British racing green suit, Brad Pitt stepped out on the red carpet in London's Leicester Square with his girlfriend Ines de Ramon for the European premiere of F1: The Movie.

The Hollywood star, who accessorised his smart outfit with a fetching green cravat and sunglasses, was all smiles as he was joined by a host of celebrities, including Tom Cruise, the supermodel Naomi Campbell, the Bridgerton actress Simone Ashley and the former F1 world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton, who is one of the producers of the film.

Brad, 61, plays New York taxi driver Sonny Hayes, a former racing driver who is persuaded to come out of retirement to mentor a younger driver, played by Peckham-born Damson Idris. The Spanish actor Javier Bardem also stars as Sonny’s friend and the owner of the drivers’ team.

To prepare for the role, Brad mixed with real-life Formula 1 stars and got behind the wheel of F1 cars. “It’s like sitting in a bathtub – a 200mph bathtub. Being in one of those machines and feeling what they are capable of is like nothing I have ever experienced before,” he says.