Brad Pitt F1 movie alternate ending is drawing criticism as director Joseph Kosinski employs a familiar, much-disputed narrative device reminiscent of Top Gun: Maverick, overshadowing the film’s new talent at its most pivotal moment. The final scenes have particularly divided fans and critics, sparking debates on whether the film’s legacy has been undermined by its focus on Pitt’s character at the expense of Damson Idris’s rising hero.
An Unsettling Echo of Top Gun: Maverick in the New F1 Finale
Joseph Kosinski, renowned for steering blockbuster franchises and revitalizing familiar intellectual properties, brings a seasoned touch to his latest release, F1. Despite a career that includes handling major films like Tron: Legacy and Top Gun: Maverick, Kosinski’s approach to the F1 ending has attracted intense scrutiny. The film climaxes with Brad Pitt portraying Sonny Hayes, whose journey comes full circle amid the intense world of elite racing, leaving a fresh young talent to merely observe from the sidelines.
The director’s handling of the finale is being called out for its reliance on the veteran-hero trope — the experienced, older protagonist taking center stage, even when a younger, emerging character appears to be the natural choice for victory. While aiming to deliver emotional closure for Pitt’s character, and highlighting the trauma and resilience Hayes carries from a career-altering accident, the climax channels a formula closely associated with the end of Top Gun: Maverick, where the older star’s triumphant moment comes at significant cost to the development of another major character.
This ending, while perhaps emotionally evocative for some, ultimately sidesteps an opportunity to reinvent the typical Hollywood race narrative. Many viewers felt that the choice diminished the story’s real underdog, favoring familiarity over a fresh, unpredictable conclusion.
Controversy Over Forsaken Heroics: Damson Idris Left on the Sidelines
The controversy extends to the fate of Damson Idris’s character, Joshua Pearce, whose arc provided the scaffolding for much of the film’s drama and growth. Built up as a prodigy with clear flaws—arrogance, youth, and pride—Pearce’s evolution throughout the narrative was marked by hard-learned lessons and a gradual appreciation for both the challenges and wisdom of his senior teammate, Sonny Hayes.
As the race draws to a close, it seemed a dramatic, well-earned moment for Pearce’s APX GP to cross the finish line first, bringing his journey full circle and affirming the notion that genuine progression and mentorship can produce new champions. Instead, the shift in focus delivered a victory lap for Pitt’s character—a decision reflected in the abrupt pivot away from Pearce during the climactic sequence.
This creative decision echoes the debates that followed Top Gun: Maverick, where Joseph Kosinski gave Tom Cruise’s protagonist a similar spotlight at the expense of Miles Teller’s Rooster. The F1 finale’s narrative echoes this, letting Pitt’s Hayes “fly” one last time at high speed, granting personal redemption yet cutting short Pearce’s resolve and momentum. According to critics, this not only curtails the younger driver’s story but also suggests a trend in Kosinski’s storytelling that prioritizes the nostalgia and gravitas of older icons.
A Legacy Questioned: Did the Alternate Ending Undermine the Story?
Pitt’s journey to producing and starring in an F1 film was decades in the making, spanning back to his years as a rising actor seeking Hollywood’s spotlight, and culminating in the realization of a passion project that merged his love of racing with his industry clout. Yet, as F1 opens in theaters worldwide, the discussion is less about cinematic spectacle and more about whether the film truly honored its new hero’s ascension.
While Pitt’s Sonny Hayes is scripted for closure and a final moment of triumph after personal setbacks, Damson Idris’s sidelining strikes many as a missed opportunity to pass the torch, refresh the genre, and advance new stars. The debate centers on whether relying on an established trope from Top Gun: Maverick was necessary, or if it ultimately overshadowed the narrative arc developed for the racing rookie.
As audiences and commentators analyze the film’s choices, F1’s ending remains emblematic of wider issues in Hollywood storytelling. With its dramatic, emotionally charged tone, the Brad Pitt F1 movie alternate ending challenges expectations and questions the balance between honoring icons and building new legacies. For now, the impact is seen both in box office conversations and future discussions around fresh narratives in sports cinema.
