Lewis Hamilton is riding high after the global success of F1: The Movie, but the seven-time world champion is not ready to jump straight into a sequel, despite Hollywood’s appetite for more.
Arriving at the 2025 British Grand Prix in the afterglow of the film’s $144 million opening weekend, Hamilton shared an unexpected message: patience is key if the Formula 1 blockbuster is going to build a real legacy.
The Ferrari driver, who co-produced the project and served as a consultant on set, told reporters that any talk of a second film should be put on hold, even as F1: The Movie becomes Apple’s biggest box office hit to date.
“We literally just finished it, so I think the last thing we want right now is a sequel,” Hamilton said. “It’s been four years in the making. It was a lot of work, particularly for Joe [Kosinski]. It’s time away from your family, it’s time away from your kids, and also you need this to just simmer for a while, you know. Like, let’s enjoy it.”
Hamilton believes that rushing to capitalise on the film’s early success would be “the worst thing we probably could do.” He joked, “Most sequels are way worse, so we don’t need to rush it. I think if we do a sequel, I would say let’s really, really take our time in getting it even better.”
Hamilton brings Formula 1 mindset to Hollywood’s next move
Hamilton’s hands-on involvement in the film’s development went beyond script consultation and on-track authenticity. He has brought some Formula 1 methodology to the movie industry, encouraging director Joe Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer to conduct a post-project debrief—just like an F1 team’s review after a race weekend.
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
“I don’t know if they’ve ever done this before, but I’ve asked them to do a debrief,” Hamilton explained. “Let’s review what we did, what we could have done better. I don’t know if they ever do that in the movie business, but it’s something obviously I’ve learned from here.”
With the film featuring cameos from names like Zak Brown, Toto Wolff, and Fred Vasseur, and shot on location at grands prix across 2023 and 2024, Hamilton was keen to ensure that the culture of learning and improvement that drives F1 was part of the movie’s DNA. When pressed on whether he’d discussed a sequel with Kosinski or Bruckheimer, Hamilton played it cool.
“Well if I had, I wouldn’t be telling you right now firstly. But, no [I haven’t spoken to them],” Hamilton added. “I saw someone talk about it, but it’s like we literally just finished it, so I think the last thing we want right now is a sequel.”
Enjoy the moment before thinking about what’s next
Despite rumours that “gears are turning” on a follow-up, Hamilton’s approach is to let the movie’s achievements stand on their own for now.
“I think the worst thing we probably could do is to rush into doing a sequel,” Hamilton stressed. “Most sequels are way worse, and so we don’t need to rush it. I think if we do do a sequel, I would say let’s really, really take our time in getting it even better than [the first part].”
For Hamilton, the key is to enjoy the ride—both on the circuit and on the big screen—before deciding what comes next for Formula 1’s newest Hollywood franchise.
