How to film at real Formula One races? Act like a pit crew

'F1's' well-oiled production team worked speedily to get the shots they needed without getting in the way

- Nate Rogers

JOSEPH KOSINSKI DIDN'T want to direct "F1" unless he was able to do it the hard way. That was the germ of an idea for what would eventually become one of the biggest hits of 2025: Create a movie about an underdog Formula One team that didn't fake being at F1 races, but actually became a part of them.

"It was kind of like, 'Yes, this is a little insane," said Kosinski," but if we can pull it off, we'll get something totally unique."" Kosinski doesn't present as your average adrenaline junkie. He's mellow and looks like he could work at a bank - in fact, he pursued architecture before finding a calling in film as a David Fincher protégé. Kosinski was trusted with blockbusters from his debut, 2010's "Tron: Legacy," and in 2022 broke through with "Top Gun: Maverick," which strapped Tom Cruise and other insurance liabilities into actual fighter jets as an alternative to relying on CGI.

Damson Idris, left, and Brad Pitt in "F1."