Brad Pitt Takes to the Track: McLaren Test at Circuit of the Americas
In a remarkable intersection of Hollywood and motorsport, Brad Pitt experienced the thrill of Formula 1 by driving a McLaren MCL60 at the Circuit of the Americas. This private test, confirmed by McLaren to Motorsport.com, occurred just after the premiere of his film, F1, in New York City.
The reigning constructors’ champions alluded to the event on social media, posting a teaser image featuring driver overalls marked with Pitt’s initials, captioned "It’s a Sonny day in Austin." The film stars Pitt as fictional racer Sonny Hayes and has generated significant buzz leading up to its U.S. release on June 27.
Lando Norris, McLaren’s current driver, assisted Pitt during the test session, which marks the actor’s first real foray into F1 racing. Interestingly, the test was conducted with McLaren rather than Mercedes, despite the latter’s deeper involvement in the film’s production. Notably, the film showcases modified F2 cars developed with significant contributions from Mercedes, which include on-screen appearances by team principal Toto Wolff.
Wolff mentioned in previous interviews that he supported Pitt’s journey by arranging driving instruction and offering insights to enhance the film’s realism. "We also tried to be helpful with the garages and the pit wall, all of it, and give them the designs so they could be as realistic as possible,” Wolff stated.
As interest builds for F1, this test serves as a pertinent reminder of the infrastructure and technology behind motorsport, marrying cinematic storytelling with the rich complexities of racing.
