NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JULY 09: Brad Pitt, star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, and Damson Idris, co-star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, look on from the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 09, 2023 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
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Damson Idris, who stars opposite Brad Pitt in the blockbuster hit F1: The Movie, is going to work for Formula 1 racing.
In F1: The Movie, Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, who walked away from the F1 circuit 30 years earlier after surviving a near-fatal racing accident. After Sonny is convinced to return to Formula 1 by his former colleague and current F1 team owner, Rubén Cervantes (Javier Bardem), in a bid to save his team from collapse, he takes on the monumental task of mentoring Joshua Pearce (Idris) — an arrogant but supremely talented young driver who wants none of the veteran’s advice.
Formula 1 racing announced Wednesday that Idris has joined them as a global brand ambassador as part of the organization’s “All to Drive For” campaign.
“I’ve always been drawn to spaces where culture, performance, and precision meet, and Formula 1 sits right at the center of that,” Idris said in a statement via Formula 1. “I had an enormous amount of respect for it before making the film, but getting closer to it gave me a real understanding of the innovation, the heart, and the intensity behind everything, and the elite level the drivers operate at.
“I’m genuinely excited to step into this role as a Global Ambassador,” Idris added. “Being part of this world now means a lot to me, and I’m proud to represent something that inspires and connects people all over the world.”
Formula 1 noted that as part of Idris’ duties as the global brand ambassador, the F1: the Movie star “will attend several Grands Prix and support F1 in various content, partner and wider promotional activities to introduce a new wave of fans to the sport.”
‘F1: The Movie Is In The Running For A Best Picture Oscar
F1: The Movie earned $189.6 million in domestic ticket sales and $443.6 million internationally for a worldwide box office tally of $633.2 million.
In addition to its box office draw, F1: The Movie attracted the attention of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. The nomination honors the producers of the film, which includes Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Chad Oman, Jeremy Kleiner, Jerry Bruckheimer and Joseph Kosinski — who also directs the film.
The team is also up for the Producers Guild of America’s Producer of the Year award, which is equivalent to a Best Picture honor.
In addition, F1: The Movie is nominated for Oscars in the Best Sound, Best Editing and Best Visual Effects categories. The Oscars will be handed out in Los Angeles on March 15.
Produced by Apple Original Films and distributed by Warner Bros., F1: The Movie is streaming on Apple TV.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2026/02/26/f1-the-movie-star-gets-new-role-as-formula-1-global-brand-ambassador/
