Sonny Hayes (played by Brad Pitt) is a protagonist in F1.
Aging former F1 prodigy turned racer-for-hire who returns to drive for the struggling APXGP team. He diagnoses technical weaknesses, mentors rookie Joshua Pearce, and overcomes personal injuries and team sabotage to secure a crucial season-finale victory. Joshua Pearce (played by Damson Idris) is a protagonist in F1.
Ambitious APXGP rookie driver who initially clashes with veteran Sonny Hayes but eventually learns to cooperate. After recovering from a fiery crash, he matures, adopts Sonny's racing philosophy, and helps secure the team's future at the Abu Dhabi finale. Kate McKenna (played by Kerry Condon) appears in F1.
APXGP's technical director who develops controversial aerodynamic upgrades for the cars. She helps resolve internal team tensions and faces sabotage allegations that temporarily handicap the vehicle's performance. Peter Banning (played by Tobias Menzies) appears in F1.
APXGP board member who secretly sabotages the team by orchestrating an anonymous tip against Kate's upgrades and manipulating Sonny's hiring to force an investor sale for personal gain. Kaspar Smolinski (played by Kim Bodnia) appears in F1.
Kaspar's Son (played by Barney Smith) appears in F1.
Kaspar's Daughter (played by Poppy Smith) appears in F1.
F1 (2025) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Sonny Hayes
(played by Brad Pitt) — protagonist
Aging former F1 prodigy turned racer-for-hire who returns to drive for the struggling APXGP team. He diagnoses technical weaknesses, mentors rookie Joshua Pearce, and overcomes personal injuries and t...
Joshua Pearce
(played by Damson Idris) — protagonist
Ambitious APXGP rookie driver who initially clashes with veteran Sonny Hayes but eventually learns to cooperate. After recovering from a fiery crash, he matures, adopts Sonny's racing philosophy, and...
Kate McKenna
(played by Kerry Condon) — supporting
APXGP's technical director who develops controversial aerodynamic upgrades for the cars. She helps resolve internal team tensions and faces sabotage allegations that temporarily handicap the vehicle's...
Peter Banning
(played by Tobias Menzies) — supporting
APXGP board member who secretly sabotages the team by orchestrating an anonymous tip against Kate's upgrades and manipulating Sonny's hiring to force an investor sale for personal gain.
Kaspar Smolinski
(played by Kim Bodnia) — supporting
Kaspar's Son
(played by Barney Smith) — supporting
Kaspar's Daughter
(played by Poppy Smith) — supporting
Key Relationships
Kaspar's Daughter → Kaspar Smolinski
(daughter)
Kaspar's Son → Kaspar Smolinski
(son)
Peter Banning → Peter Banning
(Meta Corporate Antagonist)
Sonny Hayes → Sonny Hayes
(Temporal Past & Present Self)
Kate McKenna → Joshua Pearce
(Alliance Technical Collaborator)
Joshua Pearce → Peter Banning
(Conflict Unaware Target)
Peter Banning → Sonny Hayes
(Conflict Corporate Saboteur)
Kate McKenna → Peter Banning
(Professional Subordinate & Board Member)
Sonny Hayes → Kate McKenna
(Professional Driver & Technical Director)
Sonny Hayes → Joshua Pearce
(Professional Mentor)
Story Analysis
An aging F1 prodigy returns to mentor a rookie and save a struggling team from corporate sabotage through technical innovation and personal sacrifice.
