tom cruise f1 crash

When Top Gun Maverick star Tom Cruise crashed the Red Bull Formula One Car

Janmeyjay Shukla | Published Jun 24, 2022

Top Gun Maverick star Tom Cruise crashed the Red Bull F1 car while testing on the roads of Southern California alongside David Coulthard.

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Tom Cruise is one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood currently. His action-packed Top Gun Maverick is on the verge of joining the $1 Billion club soon.

The American actor enjoys action-packed thrillers be it Top Gun or Mission Impossible. Apart from flying planes, riding bikes, and being a charm to the audience, he is an F1 fan as well.

Cruise is watching Formula One since his childhood. In an interview, he stated: “I have watched these guys [Webber and Coulthard] race their whole career. I love Formula One and love racing. It is an amazing sport.”

However, did you know that the Maverick star not only drove a Formula One car but crashed it right in Southern California?

Also Read: When Mick Schumacher drove Michael’s first Grand Prix winning car in Belgium

Tom Cruise crashes the Red Bull F1 Car

Tom Cruise, accepted an invitation to test drive the Red Bull Racing F1 car in Southern California back in 2011. He took the help of former Red Bull and McLaren driver David Coulthard to learn about the car.

Maverick completed 24 laps during the seven-hour session, which began with Cruise and Coulthard lapping the track in a passenger car to get familiarized with the racing lines before Coulthard showed Cruise the intricacies of the F1 machine.

After a while, Cruise was on his own driving the car and doing quick lap records. Looking at the hot laps, Coulthard joked to Cruise stating: “First of all, I am just glad that you chose not to be a race driver. I held a little back as you were faster than me.”

Like every F1 driver, Tom Cruise also had a crash while driving the Red Bull. On an out-lap, he took the car out on the dirt area and spun it around.

In the end, Cruise really showed his skills as he drove at a speed of 291 km/h and was just 6.4 km/h slower than Coulthard’s regular pace.

Also Read: Adrian Newey reflects back on his accident and his possible “career suicide”

About the author

Janmeyjay Shukla

Janmeyjay Shukla is an artist who contributes his expressions through words as an F1 writer and editor at The SportsRush. He is an F1 historian who has been watching the sport since he was a baby. Passed on from generation to generation, he has seen the prime of Michael Schumacher to the rise of Max Verstappen. A Mercedes fan from the days of the Brawn GP era, the sport runs in his blood. Besides Formula One, Janmeyjay is a Marketing Head and a musician who loves to sing and play Rock & Pop songs on guitar. His love for sports will never die as he is a loyal Liverpool Football Club fan as well!

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• Formula One

Fans baffled by Tom Cruise’s appearance at British Grand Prix

After stealing the spotlight at Wimbledon last week, Hollywood icon Tom Cruise has also made a celebrity appearance at the British Grand Prix.

How Aussie F1 star compares in teammate battle

Ex-F1 star drops bombshell revelation

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First Wimbledon, then Wembley, now Silverstone.

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has crashed the party of another iconic sporting event, spotted in the Mercedes garage at the British Grand Prix on Sunday.

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton invited Cruise to join the Mercedes team at Silverstone, where the British driver secured a 99th Grand Prix victory.

Stream Every Practice, Qualifier & Race of the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship™ Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Cruise celebrated as emphatically as anyone in the Mercedes garage as Hamilton sped past race leader Charles Leclerc on Lap 50.

The 59-year-old actor, who has been filming the latest Mission Impossible instalment in England, chatted with Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali before lights out and embraced Hamilton after the victory.

Tom Cruise congratulating Lewis Hamilton on pulling off Mission Impossible 😎🏆 pic.twitter.com/LPYkVC13hM — ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) July 18, 2021

Find someone who looks at you the way Tom Cruise looks at Lewis Hamilton pic.twitter.com/4y2lg0nfTF — Marc Istook (@MarcIstook) July 18, 2021

In the past week, Cruise has been fortunate enough to witness the men’s and women’s singles finals at Wimbledon and the Euros final between England and Italy.

The legendary Harrison Ford was also in attendance at Silverstone, seen in the Williams garage on Sunday.

Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, tennis youngster Emma Raducanu, Prince Edward and actor Michael Douglas were also spotted among the 140,000 spectators.

Tom 🤜⚡️🤛 Lewis #BritishGP 🇬🇧 #F1 pic.twitter.com/horhqfsgq8 — Formula 1 (@F1) July 18, 2021

Tom Cruise continuing his major British sporting events tour, hanging out in the garage area of the #BritishGP with Harrison Ford. pic.twitter.com/u4YcozDEqC — Cork Gaines (@CorkGaines) July 18, 2021

I'm expecting Tom Cruise to turn up at my cricket club next week. Why not? He's been at every other sporting event in the UK in the last week. — Dan Whiting (@TheMiddleStump) July 18, 2021

Wouldn’t be surprised if I found Tom Cruise in my kitchen tonight, bloody everywhere that man — Saint Raymond (@Callum_SR) July 18, 2021

Cruise’s presence at Ash Barty’s Wimbledon triumph last week didn’t sit well with everyone.

Tennis fans turned their fury on the actor for hogging the spotlight – and broadcasters and the official Wimbledon social media accounts for pointing it at him.

Cruise appeared to be lapping up the attention as he stood and waved to the crowd and posed for photographs with fans.

Hamilton overcame a 10-second time penalty to take the race lead with less than three laps remaining to win a dramatic race at Silverstone , where he was eventually penalised two championship points for his involvement in a horror crash with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Replays showed Hamilton nudging championship leader Verstappen off the track and into the tyre wall at 289 km/h on the opening lap.

The Dutchman walked away unscathed, undergoing a medical examination at the track before being taken to a local hospital for further tests.

Meanwhile, Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth for his best result of his first season with McLaren.

McLaren has had a quiet start to 2024 after a barnstorming finish to last season, but there’s no question about Australian Oscar Piastri’s massive gains during the off-season.

Four time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has sent the rumour mill into overdrive by dropping a bombshell revelation.

Australian Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo has opened up and come clean on damning rumours circling around the paddock.

British GP Highlights: Lewis Hamilton Wins, Hugs Tom Cruise as Max Verstappen Crashes Out in Controversial Circumstances

An action-packed Sunday afternoon at British Grand Prix witnessed Lewis Hamilton claim his 4th race win of the season. So let's take a look at the highlights that emerged from the British Grand Prix.

LAP 1 Verstappen crashes out!

During the first lap, the two title contenders, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton collide at Copse. The Dutch was sent into the barriers and out of the race. This marks the second DNF of the season for Verstappen.

Credit: Youtube/Formula 1

Lap 4 vettel spun.

During the safety car restart, Sebastian Vettel spun his Aston Martin. The German lost his rear while battling Fernando Alonso’s Alpine for sixth and ended up spinning at Luffield.

LAP 29 Sainz slow pitstop 

Sainz entered the pitlane when he was P2 but suffered a slow 12s pitstop due to a left-front problem, dropping him back behind Ricciardo at P6.

LAP 50 Heartbreak for Charles

After starting fourth, Charles Leclerc led almost every lap of the race. Despite showing massive resilience, the Monegasque driver ended up losing the lead two laps before the chequered flag.

LAP 52 Lewis won British GP

Despite suffering a Ten-second penalty, Lewis Hamilton won his eighth British Grand Prix after overtaking Charles Leclerc with just two laps to go. After the race, Lewis gets hugs from Tom Cruise.

F1 RADIO: Hamilton Defends Himself & Blames Verstappen for His Dangerous Crash at Silverstone

Lewis hamilton hit with 2 penalty points for causing verstappen f1 crash at british gp, i hope hamilton is ‘happy with himself’ after hospitalizing verstappen: horner.

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Motorsport prime

Tom cruise turns laps in red bull team f1 car, nancy knapp schilke.

Actor Tom Cruise joins David Coulthard for one awesome test ride

Photo by: Motorsport.com / ASP Inc.

Red Bull reported that Cruise was able to test drive one of their 2011 cars in the capable hands of David Coulthard, the former F1 pilot was awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) presented to the Scotsman by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010. His job at Willow Springs was as the instructor for Cruise.

“Tom’s the real deal. I was surprised that he picked it up so quickly and is such an accomplished driver,” Coulthrad told RedBull.com. “His recall was incredible considering how complicated driving an F1 car is.”

Cruise and Coulthard turned speeds in the 180 mph range at the California circuit. While they were having fun at the track, the 2010 and current points leader was exploring parts of the United States, including New York City. Sebastien Vettel and the rest of the Formula One circus returns to action this coming weekend for the Belgian Grand Prix and the points leading team, Red Bull, hope that their German ace extends his points lead, along with Vettel’s Australian teammate, Mark Webber.

The person who had a blast last week was Cruise, who is on a break from the post-production work for his latest film project Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol . Cruise has not stayed away from the racing scene but this was the first time he had ever been behind the wheel of a Formula One Car.

“He’s a guy who really pushes the envelope in real life.

David Coulthard

Days of Thunder might have been on the actor’s mind as he suited up to prepare for his turn in the Formula One car that is, without a doubt, the cutting edge of technology. Once he took the wheel of the Red Bull racing machine, Cruise felt right at home and reached a top speed of 181mph; perhaps reflecting on Top Gun except flying on the ground as he toured the circuit.

The more comfortable with the F1 car, the more his racing skills came back to him and his lap times came down. At the end of his 24 laps, he had improved his time by nearly 11 seconds. Per RedBull.com, Cruise was only four miles per under the top speed set by Coulthard.

“He’s a guy who really pushes the envelope in real life. This day was not green screened. And he thoroughly impressed me,” added Coulthard.

Even though his racing career was curtailed for his acting career, Cruise is still a racer at heart as he makes his way to race tracks, from Formula One to NASCR to MotoGP, he enjoys the world of motor sports.

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Formula 1: Drive to Survive season 5 review: I loved it until I noticed what was missing

Formula 1: drive to survive season 5 is great until its finale.

Tom's Guide Verdict

Fantastic TV up until the finale, which jumps a bit too far ahead. Audiences expecting a thorough dissection of the 2022 season's biggest drama will feel deflated.

Tons of drama and betrayals

An intimate view of Mercedes' struggles

Daniel Ricciaro's frustrations hit right in the feels

No Brazil GP coverage

Replays of big racing moments would have helped

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

When you start up Netflix to watch Formula 1: Drive to Survive season 5 , you may come in with a set of expectations. Drive to Survive airs months after the F1 season of the previous year, and weeks before the new F1 live streams .

Some of my friends have said they always expect the series to offer a particularly unique edit of what happened in the season and explain their lack of love for the series that way. 

This being my first time following throughout a season before watching Drive to Survive, I should have known I might become one of these grizzled young veterans of the F1 audience. But for the majority of the new season, I only shifted between hooked and casually entertained. All teams can't be filled with messy drama, alas.

And so, as I watched first eight episodes of the 10 episode season for this Formula 1: Drive to Survive season 5 review, I was in my zone. Sure, the series has its peculiar way of time-jumping for a slightly non-linear narrative, but that's what happens when episodes mostly focus on a specific team or few. But once episode 9 aired, and I realized what the finale would likely focus on (and I was right), I felt left in the lurch.

Overall, I recommend Drive to Survive season 5, but certain things here or there have me scratching my head, like Lewis Hamilton looking at his 2022 car. Wondering what could have been.

Drive to Survive season 5 review: The drama reigns supreme

This year is supposed to be a fresh start of sorts at Formula 1, as an overhaul of regulations are supposed to create an even playing field, but you know what they say about how the more things change, eh? The new Drive to Survive season opens up like a new year at school, with all the drivers and team principals back, and not exactly excited to be under the studious eyes of Netflix's cameras. 

They still love to make jokes about it all, as Ferrari's Mattia Binotto tells Guenther Steiner that the Haas team principal is the true star of the show. Then, you see Mercedes' Toto Wolff declare that Drive to Survive is not a documentary, and more like a Top Gun movie. This is where you should start to wonder about the "edit" of Drive to Survive. 

That said, the boys that drive the cars will distract you in no time at all, as you'll see McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris hanging out, and as the former dances and sings (those who saw his season's full arc unfold already will already be fretting). 

And the big news comes quick and fast in the start, with a changed driver that results from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But Drive to Survive gives the spotlight to the fan favorite many want to see win, as Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton speaks about being here to make up for last year's bad ending. But the memories of ex-Formula One race director Michael Masi giving the year away to Red Bull's Max Verstappen will be replaced with new Sturm und Drang . Max, and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner (often shown at home with wife and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell), are — as you'll expect — the villains to all this year. 

Struggle is often the name of the game for Drive to Survive season 5, as you'll see often. Sometimes, you're watching Yuki Tsunoda's immature nature play out to the dismay of the whole Alphatauri team, and other teams you're watching closely as Hamilton suffers a rough ride. The season gives him a seemingly kind edit, as he feels stoic and heroic, yet again under conditions that nobody would have asked for.

And throughout the season, crashes and betrayals repeatedly increase the chaos of Drive to Survive. Once the show hits the 'silly season' where drivers and teams look to shake up their lineups, it gets as riveting as the NBA trade deadline season on ESPN.

There's more that I won't break down here, such as Ferrari's struggle and the chaos at Silverstone. Basically, it's safe to say that if Drive to Survive season 5 feels like it's slowing down, imminent problems are on the horizon. All told with amazing vantage points, too.

Drive to Survive season 5 review: What's missing

That said, the drama at Red Bull is frustratingly minimized on screen. Yes, you get a lot of behind-the-scenes drama from Monaco, where the pressure was on Sergio Perez, but fans who followed the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix may be completely surprised by its absence. Yes, episode 9 focuses on Red Bull's big wins in Japanese and United States, and episode 10 (the finale) jumps straight to the final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi GP. Brazil, which took place between the two episodes, is not here.

All the while fans hoping to learn more about the drama between Perez and Verstappen will be left rewinding to episode 7 — the Monaco episode. The conspiracy-minded viewers out there will run the tape back to that episode, to look closely at Verstappen's behavior — and wonder what was edited out.

There's no word on exactly why the drama from Brazil — where Verstappen refused to let his teammate pass him, which could have helped Checo's points total — was not included. But it's not difficult to guess that Red Bull has some control over what makes it to the final cut, and they might not have wanted more light shone on Verstappen's behavior. Perez has already said this all shows "who [Max] really is."

Maybe the lack of the Brazil drama's inclusion should have been expected, Verstappen has told the press that his reasons "stay between myself and the team." But for the entirety of the Brazil race to be scrubbed over felt like the wrong kind of needle scratch.

And while Drive to Survive doesn't erase Daniel Ricciardo's downward spiral, those scenes felt like they would have benefitted from more showing and less telling. 

I also would have loved some sort replays of the big moments in the races. I found myself needing to rewind more than I would have preferred.

Formula 1: Drive to Survive season 5 review: Verdict

As this Formula 1: Drive to Survive season 5 review has detailed, the series does a good job of revealing much of the behind-the-scenes drama from the 2022 season. It will also get fans more than excited for the 2023 season, since you see a little of how changes to lineups played out.

But the lack of the penultimate Grand Prix feels like erasure, and looks bad — as if everyone's trying to make sure Red Bull golden boy Max Verstappen is protected.

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.

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Tom Cruise Celebrates His 60th Birthday at British F1 Grand Prix, Supporting 'Great Friend' Lewis Hamilton

The Mission: Impossible star was also spotted at Adele's concert in London on Friday ahead of his milestone birthday

Shafiq Najib is a former writer-reporter at PEOPLE. He left PEOPLE in 2023.

Tom Cruise is spending his milestone birthday on the right side of the tracks!

The Top Gun star celebrated his 60th birthday by making an appearance at the British F1 Grand Prix on Sunday. The actor was seen flashing a big smile while greeting fans and rubbing shoulders with other VIP attendees.

During the special outing, Cruise kept it casual, wearing a light blue polo shirt, his signature aviator sunglasses, and dark trousers.

Other familiar faces in attendance at the event included Gordon Ramsay , Geri Halliwell , and Lewis Hamilton .

While chatting with Martin Brundle for Sky Sports , Cruise did not hesitate to express his support for the British F1 champion when discussing the race on Sunday.

"Lewis always," he said. "He's a great friend of mine. I hope he has a great day."

Ahead of his birthday weekend on Friday, Cruise attended Adele's concert at British Summer Time Hyde Park Festival in London. Natalie Portman , Idris Elba , and the cast of Heartstopper also watched Adele this weekend.

Earlier this week, Cruise's new film, Top Gun: Maverick , passed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, according to Variety . It became the first of Cruise's films to reach the rare milestone, with his next-highest global earner being 2018's Mission: Impossible – Fallout , which made $791.1 million.

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Per Box Office Mojo's tallies , Top Gun: Maverick is now among the top 50 movies of all time in terms of box office performance, not adjusted for inflation. The top 5 films on the list each earned more than $2 billion. The highest, 2009's Avatar , made $2.8 billion — and it will add to that total when it's re-released in theaters this September in the lead-up to the December sequel.

"To all the films in release, to all the studios, and to all the exhibitors: congratulations. To the audience: thank you for venturing out and allowing us to entertain you. See you at the movies," Cruise wrote on Twitter Monday.

Top Gun: Maverick set a Memorial Day weekend box office record on its opening weekend in May. Celebrating the win, Cruise wrote on Twitter, " Thank you to everyone who saw #TopGun: Maverick and helped make it a historic opening weekend."

Prior to that, Cruise — who insisted the film's theatrical release be postponed throughout the pandemic rather than go directly to streaming platforms — tweeted , "36 years after the first film, #TopGun: Maverick is finally here. We made it for the big screen. And we made it for you, the fans. I hope you enjoy the ride this weekend."

The next movie for Cruise is Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 , which hits theaters in July 2023.

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Tom Cruise skips coronation for F1 Grand Prix in Miami

'mission: impossible' star tom cruise sent king charles a special video message played at his coronation concert.

Prince William honors King Charles at coronation concert with heartfelt speech: ‘We are all so proud of you’

The Prince of Wales, the eldest son of King Charles III and the late Princess Diana, is heir to the British throne. The king, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, was crowned on May 6 at London's Westminster Abbey.

Tom Cruise had a need for speed fulfilled Sunday as he walked the grid at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Miami, Florida.

The 60-year-old "Mission: Impossible" actor mingled with Shakira, Serena Williams , Venus Williams, and LL Cool J at the Miami International Autodrome where Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished the race in first place.

Earlier reports had Cruise scheduled to attend King Charles' coronation this weekend in London, but he instead opted to send his royal pal a special video message played during the coronation concert.

LIONEL RICHIE, KATY PERRY CLOSE CORONATION WITH FIREWORKS; TOM CRUISE SENDS KING CHARLES SPECIAL SHOUT OUT

Tom Cruise spent coronation weekend in Miami at the Formula 1 race. ( Chris Graythen)

Sitting in the cockpit of his own airplane while flying through the clouds, Cruise paid homage to his iconic "Top Gun" character as he congratulated King Charles III.

"Pilot to pilot, Your Majesty, you can be my wingman any time," Cruise said before dipping out into the clouds.

ROYAL FAMILY CELEBRATES KING CHARLES' CORONATION; PRINCE GEORGE, PRINCESS CHARLOTTE STEAL SHOW

The "Jerry Maguire" star has a long history with the royals , and hosted an early screening of "Top Gun: Maverick" for the Prince and Princess of Wales last year.

Tom Cruise missed King Charles' coronation, but was in attendance at the F1 Grand Prix in Miami. (Dan Istitene)

Tom Cruise catches up with Shakira at the FI races in Miami (Chandan Khanna)

Shakira recently moved back to the US following her split from ex Gerard Piqué. (Chris Graythen)

His link to the royals dates back more than 30 years when he first met the late Princess Diana at the London premiere of "Far and Away" with his ex-wife, Nicole Kidman.

Cruise formed a friendship with Prince William after learning that the Prince of Wales previously serves as a pilot with the Royal Air Force.

The "Top Gun: Maverick" premiere came days after Cruise played a role in a royal event during the late Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. 

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Cruise introduced the Kings Troop Royal Artillery at the "A Gallop Through History" Platinum Jubilee celebration at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. 

Shakira recently moved back to the United States after breaking up with ex Gerard Piqué due to infidelity allegations.  

Cruise has been linked to the royal family since the early days of his career when he and then-wife Nicole Kidman met Princess Diana at the London premiere of their 1992 movie "Far and Away." (Tim Graham)

Kate shared a laugh with Tom Cruise at the "Top Gun: Maverick" premiere in London. (Getty Images)

Vin Diesel showed off his muscles in a white tank top. (Kym Illman)

Ludacris and Michelle Rodriguez join forces at F1 Grand Prix in Miami. (Jared C. Tilton)

"Fast & Furious" stars Vin Diesel, Ludacris and Michelle Rodriguez also hit the tracks Sunday ahead of the "Fast X" premiere.

FinanceBuzz, a website offering a wide-range of economical tips, recently put out a call for a "Fast and Furious claims adjuster" to not only binge-watch the 10 movies in the franchise, but also take note of damages from all the car crashes in the more than 20 hours of footage in the films.

"We’ll pay our Fast & Furious Claims Adjuster $1,000, plus $100 to cover the cost of any streaming fees, movie tickets, and snacks," FinanceBuzz said in a press release. 

"As a bonus, you’ll get a healthy education about the value of family."

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Tracy Wright is an entertainment reporter for Fox News Digital. Send story tips to [email protected].

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Tom Cruise tests F1 car!

Movie star Tom Cruise has sampled F1 machinery for the first time after taking part in test with Red Bull Racing in California.

The test was part of a Red Bull promotional trip to the USA, which also saw David Coulthard hit the 'track' at the new circuit being built outside Austin, Texas while also driving his F1 car on the city streets.

Cruise's run in the F1 car came at the Willow Springs circuit in Rosamund, California with Coulthard on hand to provide expert advice.

Over the course of a seven-hour test, Cruise completed 24 laps in the F1 car and improved his lap times by almost eleven seconds from his first lap to his last.

"Tom's the real deal," Coulthard said afterwards. "I was surprised that he picked it up so quickly and is such an accomplished driver.

"His recall was incredible considering how complicated driving an F1 car is. He's a guy who really pushes the envelope in real life. This day was not green screened. He thoroughly impressed me."

Latest News

Tom Cruise Test Drives Red Bull Racing F1 Car

Track time with tom cruise.

Red Bull invited Tom Cruise to take a spin in a Red Bull F1 car at Willow Springs race track.

Watch an F1 Car Race Against an F/A-18 Hornet

Listen to an f1 car sing the national anthem, base jump record off the world's tallest building, want more of this.

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Top Gun: Maverick director’s F1 movie will film Brad Pitt driving at real race weekends

Tom Cruise is already jealous, but Pitt will be in slower machinery

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Brad Pitt will do a Tom Cruise in his new Formula One movie — which is directed and produced by Top Gun: Maverick ’s Joseph Kosinski and Jerry Bruckheimer — by driving a race car for real, on actual race weekends, starting at the 2023 British Grand Prix in July. And it sounds like Tom Cruise is pretty envious about it — the Top Gun star and incorrigible thrillseeker has already offered to do some extra driving if they need him.

But claims that Pitt will drive an actual F1 car for the film are overstated — according to reports, he’ll be behind the wheel of a slower mock-up. And he won’t be competing against other drivers on the track.

Kosinski and Bruckheimer revealed the plan for filming their movie during a panel at the F1 Accelerate Summit in Miami on Thursday, ahead of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix. Panel host Will Buxton summarized the highlights of their chat on Twitter , and was the one to claim that Pitt would be “driving an F1 car.”

They’ve spent 18 months taking what they learnt on Top Gun Maverick to develop the smallest moveable 6k camera ever designed to take the viewer into the cockpit. A cockpit in which their stars will actually drive. That’s right. Brad Pitt driving an F1 car from Silverstone onwards — Will Buxton (@wbuxtonofficial) May 4, 2023

Buxton said the film production was “creating an 11th team” for the movie in consultation with the Mercedes F1 team, which has designed and tested the car the film team will use. Filming will take place “on track and on event,” with the stars (Pitt included) in the cockpit driving, captured by compact camera rigs similar to those used to put viewers in the cockpit of fighter planes in Top Gun: Maverick . The actors are already practicing on track and using simulation rigs, while seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is a consulting producer on the film.

Filming on track at actual F1 race meetings will give the currently untitled movie the kind of authenticity and spectacle that made Maverick a global smash. But Buxton’s comments — particularly that Pitt will drive actual F1 machinery — should be taken with a grain of salt. Variety has subsequently confirmed that Pitt will not race against other drivers on the track, and the car he drives will be most likely be a much more manageable junior F2 or F3 car, modified to look like an F1 beast.

It’s not surprising. Driving an F1 car in anger requires not only great skill and reflexes but an incredible level of strength and physical fitness; Pitt, at 59, has almost two decades on the oldest driver currently on the grid, the great Spanish champion Fernando Alonso, who’s 40. Hamilton is 37, and most of the rest of the field are in their 20s. It’s true that Cruise, at a similar age, endured the G-forces of an F-18 jet for Maverick , but even he, a skilled pilot, didn’t try to fly it at the same time.

There’s also no way that the actors and film crew will be allowed to interfere with the integrity of the race event itself, for both sporting and safety reasons. Racing licences for drivers are strictly regulated, and, at F1’s level, take years to acquire. It seems most likely that special filming sessions — possibly involving some of the actual F1 teams and drivers — will be scheduled around the rest of the race event.

“It will be quite invasive in terms of production, it’s something that we need to control in a way,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali told F1 investors a few weeks ago . “But it will be another way of showing that F1 never stops.”

Why go to all this trouble? Because the movie — which has been acquired by Apple, but will have a wide theatrical release before going to Apple TV Plus — presents a massive marketing opportunity for F1. The Netflix documentary series Drive to Survive has hugely increased the popularity of the sport, especially in the U.S. and with younger viewers. F1 owner Liberty Media is hoping the film will take it to the next level.

In the movie, Pitt will play “a driver who comes out of retirement to compete alongside a rookie driver against the titans of the sport,” according to its official logline. His teammate will be played by British actor Damson Idris, star of the FX series Snowfall .

Buxton said that Kosinski’s “biggest touchstone” for the new film is John Frankenheimer’s 1966 movie Grand Prix . That film featured cameos from a number of contemporary F1 drivers, and used footage shot at real race events. World champion Phil Hill captured footage from the wheel of a modified camera car during sessions at the Monaco and Belgian Grands Prix, and star James Garner did some of his own driving. Kosinski and Bruckheimer “are determined to make the most accurate, most impressive race movie anyone has ever seen,” Buxton said.

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Lewis Hamilton regrets turning down role in $1.6 billion blockbuster Tom Cruise movie

F ormula 1 superstar Lewis Hamilton confesses that he regrets passing up a role in Top Gun: Maverick, a which earned $1.64 billion at the box office. Hamilton had the chance to play Lieutenant Mickey 'Fanboy' Garcia in the 2022 hit movie.

It's no secret that Hamilton has been tight with Tom Cruise, Maverick's star and producer for some time. The two first got acquainted on the set of Edge of Tomorrow, and since then, Cruise has often been Hamilton's guest at several F1 races.

They could have actually shared the screen in Maverick, the eagerly awaited follow-up to the 1980s cult favorite Top Gun. It was Cruise who connected Hamilton with Maverick's director Joseph Kosinski.

He then offered him the part of Fanboy. But because shooting was scheduled during the last stages of the 2018 F1 season, Hamilton had no choice but to decline the role.

Then, he was in a fierce title race against Sebastian Vettel, and Hamilton couldn't commit to being on set. Despite feeling confident that he made the appropriate choice at the time, the Mercedes star now concedes that he wishes he hadn't missed out on the chance.

Discussing his relationship with Cruise, Hamilton told GQ : "My assistant called me: 'Tom Cruise has invited you to the set.' I was just like: 'Shoot, yeah?! Cancel anything I have!'

"I said, 'Dude, if you ever do Top Gun 2...'-which had not been spoken of, there was no story yet-'I will even be a janitor-just let me be in it.' Firstly, I hadn't even had, like, an acting lesson. And I don't want to be the one that lets this movie down.

"And then secondly, I just really didn't have the time to dedicate to it. I remember having to tell Joe and Tom-and it broke my heart. And then I regretted it, naturally, when they show me the movie and it's: It could've been me!"

American actor Danny Ramirez expressed his gratitude to Hamilton for turning down the part of 'Fanboy', which he later got.

"When Joe Kosinski introduced us and said that Lewis' role was gonna be Fanboy, I thanked him for saying no haha. Appreciate the assist Lewis Hamilton."

Hamilton, who is good friends with Cruise, is involved in the new F1 film starring Brad Pitt, directed by Kosinski. Having won seven world championships, Hamilton offers key insight to the filmmakers, and even helped during filming at last year's British Grand Prix.

Tom Cruise Wrecked Larry Ellison’s Land Cruiser in Hawaii: Report

The “Top Gun: Maverick” actor reportedly rolled the SUV trail riding on Ellison’s private island.

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Tom Cruise is a well-known gearhead with a massive car collection spanning every potential genre and era of automobilia and a penchant for acting in movies about speed . Larry Ellison is a private and very wealthy entrepreneur—the eighth-richest person in the world as a matter of fact. The two reportedly can bond over Land Cruisers—or perhaps one less, because allegedly, Cruise just wrecked one of Ellison's. According to Bloomberg, the crash happened this week while trail-driving on Ellison's private island in Hawai'i.

The reports of Cruise's crash are thin because even acknowledging that he was on the island is risky for Ellison's employees. (One former employee of Ellison's Four Seasons resorts noted they were suspended previously for mentioning that Cruise once visited.) However, at least eight sources told Bloomberg that Cruise, while driving dirt roads crisscrossing the island in Ellison's Toyota Land Cruiser, rolled over and totaled it. Because Ellison owns virtually the entire island and every business on it (and controls the employment of nearly every person living there), there was no police report or outside tow company involved, and Ellison employees handled the entire cleanup of the wrecked SUV. Tom Cruise, fortunately, was reportedly uninjured; as a result, the entire event was previously uncovered until Bloomberg interviewed locals and employees on the island.

The 90,000-acre island, known as Lanai, is 98% owned by Ellison, who has used his massive wealth to transform the island into a getaway for the uber-wealthy. He bought it in 2012 for $300 million and, in the years since, has moved there permanently, although he remains reclusive. Roughly 3,000 native residents of Lanai have only reported seeing him in his bright-orange Corvette.

Ellison is relatively private, and no credible information about his car collection has been published, with the exception of a McLaren F1 he once owned. Unfortunately, the Bloomberg report doesn't mention a year or generation of the truck that Cruise reportedly crashed. Cruise, Ellison, and Ellison's son—who owns the production company that made "Top Gun: Maverick" and was the one who invited Cruise to Lanai—all refused to comment with Bloomberg, which means the doomed Toyota is a bit of a mystery. Personally, I would hope Cruise would choose something classic and go hard-core wheelin'; perhaps an old FJ60 would do the trick?

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Lewis Hamilton wants acting career following F1 retirement after turning down Top Gun Maverick

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Sir Lewis Hamilton has revealed what career path he will take when he retires from Formula 1 – though he’s yet to put a timeframe on when that will be.

At 39-years-old, Hamilton is entering the twilight years of his highly-successful career with the British sporting legend the most successful driver in F1 history, with seven titles and 103 race wins.

Since controversially losing the 2021 championship to Max Verstappen , he has suffered the worst few years of his career and has not tasted victory since the penultimate round of that fateful season.

As a result, Hamilton has looked somewhat demotivated of late, especially with Mercedes again failing to provide a competitive car for him, and he recently declared that 2024 has been his ‘worst start to a season ever’.

In 2025 he is moving to Ferrari to complete a childhood dream of racing in red, but having signed a multi-year contract, it is not clear how long he will continue racing for.

But what is clear is what Hamilton will be up to when he does walkaway from the sport, as he revealed to GQ that he is already planning ahead.

He said: ‘I’d spoken to so many amazing athletes, from Boris Becker to Serena Williams, even Michael Jordan. Talking to greats that I’ve met along the way, who are retired – or some that are still in competition – and the fear of what’s next, the lack of preparation for what’s next.

‘A lot of them said, “I stopped too early”, or, “Stayed too long. When it ended, I didn’t have anything planned. My whole world came crashing down because my whole life has been about that sport”.

‘Some of them were like, “I didn’t plan and it was a bit of a mess-up because I was really lost afterwards. There was such a hole. Such a void. And I had no idea how I was going to fill it.

“And I was in such a rush initially to try and fill it that you fill it with the wrong thing. And you make a few mistakes. And then eventually you find your way”.

‘Some people took longer. Some people took shorter. But it just got my mind thinking about, “Okay, when I stop, how do I avoid that?”

‘And so I got serious about finding other things that I was passionate about.’

So what are those passions that Hamilton will pursue? ‘I think it’s gonna be film and fashion.’

He has already dipped his toe into both, most notably when he was forced to turn down a role in Top Gun: Maverick, one of the most successful blockbusters of the past few years.

When Joe Kosinski introduced us and said that Lewis’ role was gonna be Fanboy, I thanked him for saying no haha Appreciate the assist @LewisHamilton 🙌🏼😂 https://t.co/o6rXALKop7 — Danny Ramirez (@DannyRamirez) April 2, 2024

Hamilton became friends with Tom Cruise in 2014 and jokingly asking for a part in the yet to be announced sequel, and come 2018 he was offered the chance to star as a pilot by director Joseph Kosinski.

He was forced to decline however, as at the time he was battling Sebastian Vettel for the F1 title.

‘Firstly, I hadn’t even had, like, an acting lesson. And I don’t want to be the one that lets this movie down,’ Hamilton added.

‘And then secondly, I just really didn’t have the time to dedicate to it. I remember having to tell Joe and Tom, and it broke my heart.

‘And then I regretted it, naturally, when they show me the movie and it’s, “It could’ve been me!”‘

Hamilton’s role in the film was taken by actor Danny Ramirez, who actually thanked the F1 legend for turning it down.

For more stories like this,  check our sport page .

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