ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — “F1” (2025, 156 min., directed by Joseph Kosinski)

The power of “F1” is not in the performances, although Kerry Condon and Javier Bardem are remarkable.

The strength of “F1” is certainly not in the plot, which is as formulaic an underdog story as sports movies get.

The thrust of “F1” is not Brad Pitt, the star, or the synergistic corporate product placement between Apple, the studio, and Formula 1, the brand.

The miracle of “F1” is the racing, which is more exhilarating than anything I’ve seen on the big screen all summer long. Joseph Kosinski, the director behind “Top Gun: Maverick,” which featured its actors actually flying its planes, remixes that feat into race cars with “F1,” filmed on the grand prix race tracks of the global motorsport with Pitt and Damson Idris actually behind the wheels of their vehicles. The result is high-tension realism filmed like a “Mission: Impossible” with the confident zeal of a superhero flick.

The story is straightforward. Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, an older, über-accomplished race car driver who suffered a bad accident in his prime. He is brought back into the fold of F1 racing for one last shot at the big leagues by old friend Ruben Cervantes, an impeccable Bardem, who owns an F1 team sputtering at the bottom of the league. Hayes must balance his ego and penchant for maverick racing maneuvers with the untested mettle of his talented, arrogant teammate, Joshua Pearce, played by Idris. As they work their way through the racing season, setbacks occur, romance sparks and shady corporate villains play Faustian. None of it is anything novel – this just in: the Formula 1 racing movie is formulaic – but it’s a tried-and-true structure, making the movie a comfortable lap around a familiar track.

“F1” is two-and-a-half hours long, but it more than earns its length with the success of the incredible racing footage it captures. Despite the runtime, the gimmick refuses to expire. Remarkably, each race feels individual and dynamic, aided by the paint-by-numbers plot’s effective evolution of Pitt and Idris’s characters and rapport with their scrappy racing team. This is where Condon shines.

The Irish actress, Oscar-nominated for her brilliant turn in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” plays Kate McKenna, technical director for the team, parlaying with Hayes as she solves engineering issues and designs race cars. Condon serves as a mature, emotional voice of reason against the grousing of the film’s high-octane, high-testosterone stars. On paper, it’s a similar part to Condon’s role in “Banshees,” but unlike the exasperated Siobhán, her character in that film, Kate is charming, gregarious and luminous. Pitt, whose performance is a bit of a flat tire, can’t match her charisma. Their scenes are tolerable, but undeniable pit stops.

I don’t think that an appreciation for F1 racing is required to enjoy “F1.” Heck, even a tolerance for sports movies isn’t required. The movie lets you ride passenger as it steers through all of that. “F1” is simply for anyone with a heartbeat, and as the film soars through electrifying race after race, prepare for your heartbeat to skyrocket with it.

Rating: 3.5/5