Brad Pitt Was a ‘Walking Monument’ to His F1 Costar—Damson Idris Reveals Their Mentor-Mentee Bond!

Brad Pitt’s influence on and off the set of the upcoming Formula 1 film was profound, according to his costar Damson Idris. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the British actor, best known for his role in Snowfall, opened up about the mentorship and camaraderie he shared with Pitt during the making of the high-octane racing drama.

Idris, 33, who plays Joshua Pearce, a rookie Formula 1 driver, said that the dynamic between him and Pitt, who portrays seasoned racer Sonny Hayes, mirrored the mentor-mentee relationship their characters share in the film. “It was a seamless dynamic between us,” Idris recalls. “As soon as they’d yell ‘Cut,’ we both sat at our seats and giggled.” The actor went on to describe how Pitt would share stories from his own life, recalling moments such as his first encounters with icons like Prince and Sidney Poitier. “I’m like, ‘Oh my God, this is just too iconic, you’re a walking monument,'” Idris said, clearly in awe of Pitt’s wealth of experience and star power.

In F1, Sonny Hayes returns to the racing scene after a career-threatening accident and is drawn back into the world of high-stakes motorsport by his former teammate, Ruben (played by Javier Bardem). He’s paired with Joshua Pearce, a hotshot rookie with his own ambitions. As the plot unfolds, Sonny finds that in Formula 1, the road to redemption is complicated by the fierce competition within his own team—a tension that forms the heart of the film.

Idris further praised Pitt for his humility and brilliance as an actor, emphasizing how the Fight Club star went out of his way to ensure the two characters were seen as equals. “I always say he’s the most humble person and such a brilliant actor, and he wants you to win,” Idris says. “And he did that for me the entire movie, made a point of having the two characters be equals, so I’m incredibly indebted to him.”

Idris’s comments come as the film, directed by Joseph Kosinski (who previously helmed Top Gun: Maverick), nears its release. The film’s cast also includes Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Sarah Niles, Kim Bodnia, and Samson Kayo, with real-life Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton serving as a producer. The production filmed across several F1 Grand Prix events in 2023 and 2024, lending an authentic edge to the film’s depiction of the sport.

When asked about the intense physical preparation required for his role, Idris spoke about the rigorous training he underwent to portray an F1 racer. “We trained behind the cars for about seven months from F4 to F1 cars,” he reveals. “I watched every single race I could, but we also went from track to track and filmed in between actual Grand Prix races. So we were fully immersed in the world all while I was creating [the] Didris collection.”

Idris, who also runs a fine jewelry brand called Didris, found himself balancing the demands of his acting career with the creative process of designing his collection. Despite the grueling training schedule, it seems that the mentorship and friendship he found in Pitt was a source of inspiration, both on and off the track.

As F1 gears up for its release, fans will not only be treated to breathtaking racing scenes but will also experience the powerful dynamic between Pitt and Idris—a relationship that echoes the themes of mentorship, rivalry, and redemption that are at the core of the film.