A Formula One film being directed by Lewis Hamilton has reportedly been forced to scrap most of its footage despite spending £14m. There has been plenty of uncertainty over the unnamed movie, in which Hollywood star Brad Pitt is set to feature.
Hamilton has previously said he hopes the film would eclipse the impact of Netflix’s Drive To Survive. However, it is alleged that the producers have been forced to scrap the original footage and shoot everything again due to a change in sponsorship.
A production company is alleged to have spent over £14m ($20m) on producing an entire grid of replica F1 cars. The vehicles have been built to look identical to those on the grid for the 2023 season.
However, reports claim that the footage is now set to be reshot after being scrapped. There has been no reason given for ditching the previous scenes.
A Junior executive working on the film is quoted as telling Business F1 Magazine: “The sponsorships have all changed, we can no longer use a large amount of the scenes we have shot.”
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Pitt, 59, is set to star in the film. However, the publication claims that there were several gaps in the cast and that the script was not up to the required standard.
The production team were seen filming at Silverstone during the Great British Grand Prix back in July. Pitt was seen in costume by fans and was interviewed by Sky Sports ahead of the race, which was won by Max Verstappen.
“It’s great to be here,” Pitt said. “We’re just having such a laugh, [the] time of my life.”
Mercedes star Hamilton was pencilled in to direct the film. The 38-year-old, a seven-time World Championship winner, has said that he hoped the film would go ‘beyond’ the impact of Netflix’s Drive To Survive, which has been credited with strengthening F1’s fanbase.
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“I’ve been really incredibly grateful to them,” Hamilton said of the production team earlier this year.
“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.
“But we’ve already seen the great work and impact of the Netflix show, and I think this will take it to new heights beyond that.”
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