Brad Pitt gears up for real racing following F1 movie success
Brad Pitt's F1 Journey: From the Silver Screen to the Race Track
Brad Pitt's F1 movie is dominating the box office charts globally, but the Hollywood superstar isn't ready to step away from the world of Formula 1 or racing altogether. Similar to his on-screen persona, Sonny Hayes, Pitt has received another opportunity to suit up and experience the thrill of racing at speeds reaching 200 mph.
McLaren F1's chief executive, Zak Brown, revealed to Reuters on Wednesday that Pitt has an open invitation to "come out and play," expressing his confidence that Pitt will not only accept the offer but will likely deepen his enthusiasm for racing.
Pitt's Maiden F1 Driving Experience
Pitt first drove an F1 car at Austin's Circuit of the Americas last month, following his experience behind the wheel of F2 cars disguised as F1 cars for the movie. The 61-year-old actor has been enthusiastic about his maiden voyage in an F1 car, though he noted one regret.
"Ask me how fast I went. Three mph short of 200 mph," Pitt mentioned at the New York premiere. "I want to go back. I want to hit 200." Brown indicated that such an experience could certainly be arranged.
"He did a great job; he can drive a race car," Brown extolled at a McLaren event for fans in London's Trafalgar Square, where drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris also made appearances. "I've traded notes with him, it was the time of his life. I feel like he's a racer now, so anytime he wants to come out and play he's more than welcome to. And that's a standing offer."
A Standing Offer for Pitt
When asked if he anticipated Pitt accepting the offer, Brown expressed optimism:
"I wouldn't be surprised looking at the level of enthusiasm that he had. I sent him his data; he wanted to understand and learn. So yeah, I bet he will."
"I wouldn't be surprised if one day you saw Brad Pitt racing some sort of sports car," Brown added. "Paul Newman always used to say he was a racing driver and an actor in his spare time. He [Pitt] is clearly in good physical shape. He had no physical limitations."
Hollywood Stars on the Track
Pitt wouldn't be the first Hollywood heartthrob to take to real-world racing. Actor Patrick Dempsey has competed in Porsches at Le Mans, and the late Paul Newman, who founded Newman/Haas Racing, also had a notable racing career.
Pitt's Passion and the Road Ahead
With Pitt's evident passion and eagerness, fans might soon see him racing beyond the silver screen, embracing the real-life speed and excitement that comes with professional motorsport.
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