As Silverstone witnesses initial race weekend filming of the movie Apex, Lewis Hamilton admits to feeling nervous.
The Apple movie, which stars Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, is directed by Top Gun: Maverick director, Joseph Kosinski, and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer of Top Gun and Pirates of the Caribbean fame, while Hamilton is a co-producer.
While production has been underway for some time, this weekend is the first time that the production team has worked alongside the real thing in bid to give the movie genuine race weekend authenticity.
Pitt and Idris both race for the ApxGP team, which in the best traditions of the sport, has sought genuine sponsorship deals from would-be partners.
Garages for the team are in place at Silverstone, while the teams two cars - F2 machines specially adapted by Mercedes to resemble their F1 counterparts - have been lapping the Northamptonshire track.
Contrary to claims that the cars will participate in the formation lap on Sunday, it’s understood that they will in fact complete install laps prior to the rest of the field heading to the grid before the formation lap.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton has admitted to feeling nervous.
"I was here a week or two ago, I think it was before Austria, and watching Brad practice," he revealed.
"It's massively exciting to see it all coming together and to know that we're finally starting to film this weekend," he added. "There are nerves, naturally, because it's something we've been working on for so long, and we want everyone to love it and to really feel that we encapsulate what the essence of this sport is all about.
That's our goal and I hope we can do you proud."
Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a veteran driver who it is understood is lured out of retirement to assist the up and coming Joshua Pearce who is played by Idris. It is not clear who, but according to photographs of the cars one of them is using Kimi Raikkonen's race number 7.
Hamilton was keen to thank F1 bosses for their cooperating with the project.
"I'm incredibly grateful to them," he said. "I don't know if this would have been possible 10-plus years ago when the old management was in place. They wouldn't have perhaps seen this as an important step in terms of the sport's growth."
Indeed, such were Bernie Ecclestone's demands, Sylvester Stallone's plans for an F1 movie eventually saw the star switch the focus to IndyCar.
"We've already seen the great work and impact of the Netflix show," said Hamilton, referring to Drive to Survive, "and I think this will take it to new heights beyond that.
"There's so many people around the world that are so excited about this sport and wanting to learn more, and the fact that we'll have all the original characters that are actually on the grid, and Brad, is pretty cool."
Asked about the fact that Brad Pitt is 59, which would make him the oldest driver in the entire history of F1, Hamilton said: "Brad looks like he's aging backwards, so, I mean, he looks great for his age, and of course that was a big topic at the beginning when we were discussing the original... the first story.
"He's super-fit," he added, "he's been training, and I think... at the end of the day, it's a movie, so there will be a Hollywood element to it that will make it believable.
"Brad's such an iconic actor, he's always done such an incredible job, so I can't tell you how excited I am to have him in the movie. It's incredible. I think he's going to do a great job."
Picture Credit: F1/Twitter
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