Brad Pitt and Damson Idris on Driving Real Race Cars

Brad Pitt and Damson Idris hit the track in real race cars to prepare for their work in “F1,” the upcoming Formula One racing movie.

“We ended up driving for about two years. I was told that we drove 6,000 miles in total in these cars,” Pitt told Variety at the “F1” premiere on Monday in New York City. “So, I’m kinda proud of that.”

The high-octane sports drama follows Sonny Hayes (Pitt), a retired Formula One driver who’s drawn back into the world of racing to mentor a hotshot rookie, played by Idris, for the fictional Apex Grand Prix team. The film also stars Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon and Tobias Menzies.

To ensure authenticity, the cast worked closely with real Formula One drivers — including seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who also serves as a producer on the film.

“Every time I was behind that wheel, it was the most exhilarating feeling in the world,” Idris said. “And the fact that we got to follow the real Grand Prix and be around all the drivers — I got to watch them, and I got to really see how they immerse themselves in the world — and they were so welcoming.”

Director Joseph Kosinski said he spent nearly a year storyboarding the film, with almost every situation in “F1” — including the crash sequences — inspired by real-life events. Major race scenes were filmed at Formula One circuits around the world, including Silverstone in England.

“This was a real challenge because we were shooting during a live sporting event, so we weren’t on our own schedule. We were on the schedule of Formula One, which is very tight,” Kosinski said. “So, rather than having a few hours to shoot a scene, or days, I only had three minutes in some cases, which meant the actors had one or two takes to get it right.”

Idris, a British actor, said stepping onto Silverstone for the first time was the “biggest thing in the world” for him.

“That’s my home turf,” he said. “And we got to stand with all the Formula One drivers; we got to sing the national anthem — there were fireworks going over — and then we got to walk back to the scene that we were going to shoot while ‘We Will Rock You’ is playing. I looked to the right: it’s Brad Pitt. He’s doing the sexy Brad Pitt walk. And I’m like, I need to try and look sexy too. But the whole experience was amazing.”

Idris continued, “Everyone was so happy, regardless of where they are in their careers. That day, all of us felt like little kids. And it’s a testament to the world of Formula One.”

“F1” is in theaters June 27.

See more photos from the premiere below.